The draft minutes of the meeting of 13 February have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed.

Correspondence received since our previous meeting has been circulated. Item No. 58(e) is a list of proposed measures considered by the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny at its meeting on 12 February. Is it agreed that we note the list? Agreed. When they have an opportunity, members should peruse the list to ensure that we do not miss any matters about which we should be concerned.

It is proposed that we adopt the committee's draft report on European scrutiny, which relates to our contribution to the European Commission's social reality consultation. The draft report was circulated to members. Is it agreed? Agreed. Is it agreed to lay the report before the Houses of the Oireachtas? Agreed. Is it agreed that a request be made to debate the report in both Houses in the form of a motion? Agreed.

With regard to our earlier debate on petitions, etc., the committee, being duly appointed, must be the conduit for referring issues to the Houses of the Oireachtas. We must ensure that matters do not fall between two stools.

Was the draft report to which the Chairman referred compiled by the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny or by this committee?

It is our social reality report.

To which report is the Chairman referring?

Use of the word "scrutiny" is somewhat misleading. I am referring to the report we produced.

Will the report on stakeholders also be laid before the Houses?

We will deal with that next week. Some amendments have been added.

I know that. Will we seek a debate in the House on our proceedings, particularly in the context of the people who came before the committee, and on the social reality report?

Yes.

Will we seek a debate in the House on the entire matter?

On our reports.

I presume there will be separate debates on the two reports.

That is correct. They will not be dealt with on the same day. Is the proposal agreed? Agreed.

The Vice President of the European Commission, Margot Wallström, will appear before the committee on Thursday next.

Will she be here on Thursday of this week?

She will be here at 9.30 a.m. on Thursday, 28 February.

Will we hold a formal session?

Yes.

Excellent. Ms Wallström is an outstanding woman. She is responsible for the Communicating Europe initiative.

Correct. We will hold meetings on Tuesday and Thursday of next week. Today's meeting was quite lengthy. It was unfortunate that we were obliged to debate the matter relating to agriculture for a long time. We could not curtail that debate. I compliment members on their contributions to that debate.

If possible, perhaps we should avoid inviting more than one group to come before us.

I asked the two groups to appear today because the situation in the Middle East must be dealt with.

On days such as today, the committee must serve the world.

The clerk informs me that we will not ask two groups to come before us on every occasion on which we meet.

That is excellent. The clerk is doing a great job.

Has any progress been made in respect of Kosovo, where matters have become quite lively?

That is true.

Will we meet Commissioner Wallström at 9.30 a.m. on Thursday, 28 February?

The meeting will take place at 9.30 a.m.

We will then attend the proceedings of the forum at 11 a.m.

Other members will attend but I will not.

The Chairman is more than welcome to do so.

Deputy Costello inquired about Kosovo. We are in the process of agreeing a date for a meeting with the Kosovo Ireland Solidarity Group.

I would have expected something more substantial than a meeting with the Kosovo Ireland Solidarity Group.

Yes. We need to be briefed, possibly by the Minister, in respect of this matter.

Deputy Barry Andrews raised the contentious issue of Zimbabwe at our previous meeting. I accept that people may hold varying views on this matter. It might be no harm to request a briefing from the Minister in respect of it. From what I have heard, the current situation in Zimbabwe is extraordinary. It is a very wealthy country and possesses major amounts of natural resources. However, appalling things are happening with regard to the economy, corruption and so on.

We should make time available for debates on events in Kosovo and the implications thereof for the western Balkans. Perhaps the Minister might make contact with the Department to try to bring something forward about Zimbabwe.

Three aspects need to be covered — political, financial and justice.

This is not a matter for the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Yes it is. It is part of the remit of the General Affairs Council that the European Community and the Deputy are supposed to deal with. It is part of the Minister's remit through the European Union. EU-African affairs are part of his remit.

Absolutely. We need those three aspects of the situation in Zimbabwe covered in our request for a briefing.

Yes.