Thank you for electing me as Chairman of the committee. I look forward to working with you over the next five years, or whatever time is allowed us, to ensure that our combined skills and enthusiasm bring about positive changes in the way the Oireachtas looks at the Constitution and initiates change in it. I welcome new members to what is probably their first Oireachtas committee meeting. I welcome Senator Regan and Deputies D'Arcy, Kennedy and Byrne. I also welcome Deputy Wall. Are you a member of this committee, Deputy Wall?
Business of Joint Committee.
I am here as a substitute, Chairman.
You are welcome to the committee at any time. I pay tribute to the members of the former All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution, who brought their experience and knowledge to the working of the committee. I particularly acknowledge the achievement of two members of this committee who were also Chairmen of the former committee. They are Deputy Jim O'Keeffe, Vice Chairman of this committee, and Senator O'Donovan. I am delighted they are members of this committee so that we can benefit from their valuable experience. I trust this will be an effective committee and will build on the work of the earlier committee in identifying those constitutional issues which are of importance and which need to be addressed.
I will endeavour to be as fair and impartial as I can to all members of the committee. A strongly united approach where all members contribute and feel their efforts are worthwhile will give the best results. Several members served with me on earlier Oireachtas committees and I know their presence will be a great advantage to the working of the committee.
I propose that we have a provisional discussion on the work programme of the committee. I ask Deputy Jim O'Keeffe, who was Chairman of an earlier committee on the Constitution and was a member of the previous committee to give his point of view.
I was not a member of the previous committee. I am totally out of touch with what has been happening.
My apologies. In that case we will postpone the discussion on the work programme.
We will have our first substantive meeting in a fortnight's time. I suggest that we meet at 9.30 a.m. on Wednesdays. As other committees may also want that time slot, I suggest 9.30 a.m. on Thursdays as a second choice. Is that agreeable?
Wednesday mornings would be my first choice.
A small number of members had planned to meet for cúpla focal on Wednesday mornings. We may need to reschedule that.
Mr. Jim O'Donnell was formerly adviser to the all-party committee. I hope to meet him informally within the next week. It is my intention that a comprehensive summary note be prepared for the attention of the joint committee before the next meeting so that we can discuss the work programme for next year. This will be done on the basis of the work done by the previous committee and where we should go from there. I hope that as much of this information as possible can be e-mailed to members long before the meeting so that they will have time to look over it and provide the committee with suggestions in respect of it. The committee's orders of reference and some other relevant documentation have been circulated to members.
We have some administrative matters to address so the committee will go into private session. Is that agreed? Agreed.
The joint committee went into private session at 3.15 p.m. and adjourned at 3.20 p.m. sine die.