The purpose of this meeting is to continue consideration of the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Bill 2003. The Bill was referred to the Select Committee on Finance and the Public Service by Dáil Éireann on 29 January 2004. I welcome the Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, and his officials.
Before we proceed with the main business, I propose that the committee sits until 4 p.m. at least, if consideration of the Bill has not concluded by that time. We will suspend at 2 p.m. for 30 minutes. The following business will impinge on the ability of the committee to conclude the Bill if we do not finish it today. For the information of members, next week, from 24 to 26 February, we will deal with Committee Stage of the Finance Bill 2003. On 3 March we will have Committee Stage of the Public Service Management Bill 2003, on Tuesday 9 March we will have Committee Stage of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and on Wednesday and Thursday, 10 and 11 March, the Finance Bill 2003 will be on Report Stage in the Dáil. The House will not sit from 15 to 19 March. Therefore, if it is possible, we should move expeditiously. There is no time motion but it would be in our interest if we were in a position to conclude today, if there is co-operation and goodwill.
