There are two items of committee business I wish to address before we conclude. First, I wish to make a statement on the remit of this committee. This committee has recently engaged with the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform, seeking to revise this committee's remit to include matters related to inland fisheries, given the expertise of this committee in broader fisheries issues and given its oversight of all other aspects of the remit of the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, which he has termed his virtual department of the marine. This committee felt there was a clear logic and synergy to this committee's remit being extended accordingly. I wish to note this committee's disappointment in the outcome of this engagement, that the committee remains of the view that inland fisheries would be best considered by us and requests the matter be kept under review. Notwithstanding the view of this committee, we will abide by the decision of the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform and will continue to engage in a constructive and collaborative matter with the Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy on matters of shared interest.

Second, I draw to the committee's attention that I have received a submission from the Irish South and West Fish Producer's Organisation CLG pursuant to Dáil Standing Order 72 dated 23 February 2026. The complaint relates to utterances made by Deputy Whitmore in reference to a voluntary witness, Mr. Patrick Murphy, at the meeting of the committee that took place on 13 January 2026 on the topic of marine protected areas. The remarks that were made at that meeting concerned interactions between Mr. Murphy and Deputy Whitmore on their social media accounts. They were unrelated to the subject matter of the meeting. The complaint states that these remarks have caused reputational harm to the Irish South and West Fish Producer's Organisation and Mr. Murphy. Members may recall I ruled Deputy Whitmore out of order in the course of the exchange in question and sought to bring it to a close but, against my explicit direction, the matter briefly continued before we moved on. I take the opportunity to remind members that their right to ask questions of our witnesses and to interrogate the evidence presented to the committee must be balanced against the rights of witnesses to expect their good name and reputation will be protected when attending a committee meeting, in line with the invitations to them and the statement on privilege read out at the beginning of each committee meeting, which was read out at the beginning of the meeting in question. This is particularly true in the case of committee witnesses who attend voluntarily. The goodwill of voluntary witnesses is an essential part of the work not just of our committee but of the entire Oireachtas committee system and it is important witnesses are confident that when they agree to assist us in their work they will be treated fairly and with respect and only questioned about matters which they are aware will be raised. I hope this statement offers an appropriate resolution to those concerned and I consider this matter to be at a close.

Without any further business or other matters for discussion, I will now adjourn the meeting.