Members will recall that on 4 November we had an informal joint committee meeting at which we agreed a process for the nomination of members to the BAI and the RTE board. We need to get formal agreement for that proposal for the process involved. The timetable and the process have been circulated to members. Is that agreed? Agreed.
Business of Joint Committee.
In regard to the process before the committee, I ask members to look at the third last step, report of the interview panel to joint committee with proposed nominees and that the private committee meeting would agree the nominee and then we would have the presentation. I am conscious that under this proposal we agreed the nominee prior to even meeting them. Is that-----
We have an interview panel.
I appreciate that but I am saying we are agreeing the nominee on the basis of the report that comes back to us from the interview panel.
It will come back to the full joint committee to agree that.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
I apologise for being late. I pay tribute to the clerk, Mr. Eoin Faherty, as I understand this is his last meeting with us and wish him well in his retirement. On a personal note I thank him for all the assistance he has given me since becoming a Member of the Seanad. Whether it is up in the air drinking champagne and looking at coasts new or down on the ground looking for ways to stay busy I wish him well and I hope he enjoys every minute of it.
I thank the Senator and join the other members in wishing Eoin well on his retirement. I have worked with Eoin for several years on various committees of the House and found his professionalism and attention to the job on hand to be as good as that of anybody I have worked with in the Houses of the Oireachtas. I know he will keep in touch with the social side of the goings on in the Houses of the Oireachtas and we will have another occasion to talk about tomorrow evening. On my own behalf and on behalf of the committee I express sincere thanks to Eoin and wish him well in his retirement. If there is no other business I shall adjourn the meeting.
The joint committee adjourned at 10.55 a.m. until 9.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 2 December 2009.