Apologies have been received from Deputy Quinn and Senator Mooney.
Business of Joint Committee.
Apologies have been also passed on by Senator Bradford.
I take it Senator Coghlan is representing Senator Bradford.
I am. Senator Bradford wanted to attend the meeting but unfortunately cannot be here.
Apologies have been also received from Senator Norris.
The committee had been scheduled to meet the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Conor Lenihan. However, an extraordinary meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels was called at short notice to discuss the forthcoming WTO round in Hong Kong and the crisis in Pakistan and Kashmir following the recent horrific earthquake. The Minister of State has sent his apologies and has undertaken to be available to the committee at the next available opportunity. His absence due to attendance at the meeting in Brussels is understandable.
The minutes of the meeting of 27 September have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed. As there are no matters arising from them we will proceed to next item.