Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I remind members to switch off their mobile telephones. There are no apologies.

This meeting has been convened to allow the committee to consider a supplementary Estimate for the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Vote 25. I welcome the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan and his officials Mr. Maurice Coughlan, finance officer, Mr. Aidan O'Reilly, principal officer, and Ms Sarah O'Halloran, higher executive officer, community division.

I remind members that in considering the Estimates we should consider the expenditure of the money and the outputs that are to be achieved by that expenditure. We also have a duty to establish that moneys are being spent wisely and prudently and we also have a responsibility to consider what the Government aims to achieve and the impact of its expenditure on services provided.

I propose to begin with the Minister's opening statement. I will then call on the party spokespersons in the following order: Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Technical Group, Fine Gael and the Labour Party. I will take questions from each individually, following which I will take the remaining questions together. Is that agreed? Agreed.