JOINT COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 21 Feb 2006

Business of Joint Committee.

Chairman

Apologies have been received from Deputy O'Donnell and Senator Bradford. I understand that Senator Glynn is substituting for Senator Mooney until he arrives. It has been brought to my attention that members' mobile phones are causing serious problems for the broadcasting unit as they interfere with the recording equipment in committee rooms. Accordingly, I ask members to ensure their mobile phones are switched off for the duration of the meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 February 2006 have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed. Are there any matters arising? We have inquired about the leaked interim report from the EU mission observing general elections in Ethiopia and hope to have information about it for the next meeting.

Deputy M. Higgins

I am writing to secretariat of the committee about it. In another capacity, I am carrying out a comparative academic study investigating the role and functioning of foreign affairs committees. I understand there is a body on which the Houses of the Oireachtas are represented, which functions as a data bank for research. The matter also concerns the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, the European Parliament and affiliated parliaments. It may be necessary for me to send my research request through a committee. I intend to write to the Chairman and the secretariat of the committee about it. It is a study of foreign affairs committees.