I welcome and heartily congratulate Nessa Childers, MEP, and Marian Harkin, MEP, on their election to the European Parliament. It is very good to see MEPs attending meetings of the committee, especially in the context of the issues of subsidiarity and the role of directives. Their involvement in this forum is very important.
Apologies have been received from Deputy Creighton. We will go into private session to deal with some housekeeping matters.
The joint committee went into private session at 12.05 p.m and resumed in public session at 12.20 p.m.