Apologies have been received from Deputy Réada Cronin.

At the outset, I advise members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in public meetings. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

The first item on the agenda is agreeing the minutes. Are the minutes of the meeting of 26 November, which have been circulated, agreed? Agreed.

Last week, I proposed we look at the reported judicial review proceedings in relation to the MetroLink project. In the interim, we have been informed the accelerating infrastructure task force report is due to be announced today. We had hoped to meet with the task force on 10 December, as this will be a core part of the committee's work, but this will not be possible until the January deadline. The Minister who chaired the task force is not available next week due to Dáil commitments. We will meet the task force very early in January.

Since we have not invited or confirmed any guests, I propose that we use next week's window as an opportunity to hold a meeting in private session to prepare our 2026 work programme.

We know we have a lot of suggestions for meetings on procurement issues and disability access, as well as requests to meet with bodies such as the OPW, Bord na Móna, EirGrid and Ministers with line responsibilities for the national development plan action plan. This could be a good opportunity to take this work. Is it agreed that we will have that meeting the next day? Agreed. We will have the meeting the next day, but it will be in private session. Basically, it is concerned with the plan or work programme for next year.

Members will have received a copy of the invitation in relation to correspondence from the Tennessee state representative, Mr. Dennis Powers, this morning inviting the committee to attend the 2026 State of the State address in early February of next year, with the exact date to be confirmed. As the members will know, we have not drawn down any of our 2025 travel budget, so I am proposing that we accept the invitation as a unique opportunity to visit a state that is now investing heavily in infrastructure, including well over $1 billion in 2025 in housing, transportation, energy, education, conservation and agriculture. The state has a growing population of 7.2 million people as of last year and is tackling similar infrastructure delivery problems to those we have in Ireland, particularly in the energy sector. The invitation is also being issued to our colleagues in Stormont, as well as State agencies involved in trade. I recognise this as an opportunity for good collaboration.

Under the committee travel rules, we have the capacity to send up to three members, including the committee Chair. I am proposing that any member who wishes to be considered email the secretariat by next Tuesday. Generally speaking, travelling delegations should be reflective of the make-up of the committee and members, where possible, but this is not always the case in respect of which members are selected. In this regard, I will ask the secretariat to prepare a travel estimate and we can discuss this further at our meeting next week, but I am seeking approval in principle today. Is this agreed? Agreed.

What I am really saying is that, as Chairperson, I am travelling and then there is a maximum of two others.

The Vice Chair.

Yes, whatever. We are asking the members of the committee to let the secretariat know by next Tuesday. We will then make a decision at Wednesday's meeting of who the two members who will accompany the Chair will be. The reason I say this is that there is no definitive rule between Government and Opposition. We will try to reach a consensus next Wednesday, depending on who is offering. Maybe no one will want to travel. Let us get the names in of who is interested, but we will have to try to reach a consensus at next Wednesday's meeting. This is Tennessee's State of the State address and it normally happens on the first Monday of February, which is 2 February 2026, but there will not be confirmation of that until the new year, and it could be 9 February, which is the following Monday. If it is 2 February, then that is the Monday that is the St. Brigid's Day bank holiday here, so the Dáil would not be sitting on the Monday or Tuesday anyway. The event is on the Monday, so we would probably want to be there on the Sunday with a view to being there on the Monday. We might use the Tuesday and Wednesday to see infrastructure, with a view to coming home Wednesday night. I estimate we would be away three to four nights. The Dáil will be meeting on the Wednesday and Thursday, so if there is a pairing situation, we will have to look at it at that stage.

Does that mean the TDs could not go then and it would just be the Senators?

No, the TDs could go.

They could go if there was one from each side.

The Chair was very quick with the "No" there.

What I will say is that those interested should put their names in and we will try to reach a consensus next Wednesday. Since we were set up, this committee has not travelled anywhere. I do not have the budget figures in front of me, but we certainly can be accommodated as a committee with a trip. It is unusual. The state's population is a bit bigger than Ireland's and it is facing the exact same issues. We will ask to look at some project that has been successfully completed recently or works under way and see if we can learn anything from the American methods of doing work. That is generally agreed, so we will suspend to allow our witnesses to come in.