We will proceed because the witnesses are coming into committee room 2.
Business of Special Committee
The rota circulated yesterday evening did not seem to make sense.
Is the Deputy referring to the speaking rota?
Yes. Each of the medium size parties has ten minutes, after which the smaller parties contribute.
Yes. The order is Fine Gael followed by Fianna Fáil followed by Sinn Féin, with each party having five minutes. That is then repeated, which means all three parties have ten minutes. We then have the Green Party followed by the Labour Party followed by the Social Democrats.
What did the Chairman say about ten minutes?
Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin have split their ten-minute slots into two five-minute slots.
I will take ten minutes.
Okay.
The rota circulated last night showed some members taking ten minutes.
Deputy Cullinane is taking ten minutes. I have been notified that Deputies Cronin, Barry, Devlin, Durkan, Gino Kenny, Leddin, McAuliffe, Murnane O'Connor, Ó Laoghaire, Pádraig O'Sullivan and Patricia Ryan will substitute for their party colleagues today.
The committee has received one item of correspondence. Is it agreed to note that? Agreed. Earlier correspondence from Deputies Ó Ríordáin and Gannon, and from Deputy Pearse Doherty, were considered at a virtual meeting on Monday. We will have a meeting next week pursuant to that correspondence.
We will wait for the witnesses to take their seats.
Will the Department of Education and Skills be represented at next Wednesday's meeting?
We have not yet received a letter to that effect from the Department but I am told it will be represented.