We are now in public session. As we have a quorum, I will call the meeting to order. The first item on the agenda is the election of a Chairman. I ask for nominations for the position of Chairman.
Election of Chairman
Clerk to the Committee
It is a great honour to propose my friend and colleague, Deputy Tom Hayes, who has vast experience of this kind of work. He has been a Member of the Houses since 1997, first in the Seanad and then, since 2002, in the Dáil. He was a member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission in the preceding Parliament. He is amply if not over-qualified for the position and I am honoured to propose him.
Clerk to the Committee
I thank the Senator. Are there any other nominations?
I second the nomination for Deputy Hayes.
Clerk to the Committee
Thank you, Deputy. Are there any other nominations? As there are no other nominations, I invite Deputy Hayes to take the Chair for the remainder of the proceedings.
Deputy Tom Hayes took the Chair.
I thank my proposer and seconder for their few words and for electing me to the Chair. I look forward to working with this committee. We have an important role in looking after Parliament, which belongs to the people.
Politics in Leinster House has gone through a difficult period over the last number of years, with people looking at us in a questioning way. We now have an opportunity in this committee to address some of the issues that are of concern to people. We need to open up Parliament and make it more accessible to the public. We have a major and diverse role which includes dealing with the media, information technology, the library, research, broadcasting of parliamentary procedures, accommodation and catering services. There is a large range of areas to be dealt with and I look forward to working with the committee and the secretariat to build up better relationships and make Parliament more accessible. That is our challenge in the next couple of years. I thank the committee for the confidence it has placed in me.