I welcome everybody to our meeting. Some members are present in their respective Houses. If there is a division on the election of a Vice Chairman, members will have to come to committee room No. 4 to vote. Apologies have been received from Deputy Brendan Griffin, for whom Deputy Alan Farrell is a substitute.
The Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl, and the Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, have published a Covid-19 code of conduct for the parliamentary community, January 2022. Masks, preferably FFP2 grade, should always be worn during the meeting except when speaking. This will help to reduce the risk of Covid-19, including the Delta and Omicron variants, spreading in the parliamentary community. I ask for everyone's full co-operation.
I propose that we approve the minutes of the private and public meetings held on 19 and 20 January, which have already been approved at a virtual meeting. We must do this for procedural reasons. Is that agreed? Agreed.
I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the place in which Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House, in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate where they are not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, any member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting.