We have received apologies from Deputies Jim O'Keeffe and Ruairi Quinn, Senator Ann Ormonde and Proinsias De Rossa, MEP. We are joined by a delegation of 15 diplomats from some of the candidate countries who are visiting Ireland as part of a training programme on the European Union organised by the Institute of Public Administration. They have asked if they can observe the proceedings of the joint committee and I am happy to welcome them. Unfortunately, they will miss the presence of the Clerk to the committee, Mr. Jim Mulkerrins, who will not be with us for most of the day.
We are also joined by two officials from the Northern Ireland Assembly, Ms Stella McArdle and Ms Gillian Lewis, who are visiting the Oireachtas to look at our new scrutiny arrangements for proposed EU legislation. They are both welcome and I hope their visit will be useful. It is in return for a visit we made to Stormont a few weeks ago.