Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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Apologies have been received from Deputy Eamon Scanlon and Senators Diarmuid Wilson, Robbie Gallagher and Tom Clonan.

The joint committee is meeting today in public session with the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association, RDFRA, for an update on issues in the Reserved Defence Force. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Mr. Eugene Gargan, president of the RDFRA; Ms Jo McCarthy, vice-president of the RDFRA; and Mr. Neil Richardson, general secretary of the RDFRA. They are all very welcome.

I also welcome to the Public Gallery Isabella Goodall Turner, intern for the office of the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond.

The format of the meeting is that I will invite Mr. Richardson to make an opening statement. This will be followed by questions from members of the committee. Each member has a seven-minute slot to ask questions and for the witnesses to respond.

I wish to advise members of the constitutional requirement that members must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate where they are not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, a member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting. In this regard, I ask any member participating via Microsoft Teams that prior to making a contribution to the meeting the member formally confirms he or she is on the grounds of the Leinster House campus.

Both members and witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in a such way as to make him, her or it identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, members will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative they comply with any such direction.

Lastly, as the witnesses will probably be aware, the committee will publish the opening statements on its website following the meeting. I now invite Mr. Richardson to make an opening statement on behalf of RDFRA.