Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Eamon Gilmore. I thank him very much for coming to this meeting, having just arrived from Strasbourg. I welcome also the Minister of State, Deputy Joe Costello, and Mr. David Cooney, Secretary General, and his team of officials.

The select committee when considering the Estimates will do so under the headings of context and impact indicators, key outputs, and financial and human resource inputs. There will be a preliminary exchange on the allocations and targets for 2014. It is proposed that we begin with Vote 28 and examine it programme by programme. Programme A is to promote Ireland's economic and trade interest in Europe and internationally. I call on the Tánaiste to make a statement.