I welcome Deputy Varadkar to the committee.
Business of Joint Committee
I would also like to welcome the Deputy. I am sure he will find this broad portfolio to be interesting and challenging. I pay tribute to Deputy Coveney, who was an essential part of this committee. He is a hard act for Deputy Varadkar to follow. I am sure the Deputy is well able for it.
I would like to be associated with those remarks. Deputy Coveney did a huge amount of work at this forum. I am happy to welcome my local Deputy to our committee.
Did the Senator vote for me?
He did not go that far.
I join colleagues in welcoming Deputy Varadkar and paying tribute to Deputy Coveney, who kept us all very busy.
I thank members for their good wishes. Technically, I am not yet a member of this committee. Deputy Coveney is still a member of it. I am sure all of that will be sorted out in the next few weeks. I am looking forward to my new brief, which I have started to look into. I did not pay much attention to it in the past because Deputy Coveney was always on top of this area. It will take me a few weeks or months to get to grips with it. I hope members will be of some assistance to me in that regard.