Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Chair will allow the Deputy to speak at the end of the meeting. The Chair will not stop any member from speaking at the committee at any stage. We were in private session earlier. The Deputy could have raised the matter with the committee and the clerk then rather than in public session. It put us in an invidious position. The Chair will allow anyone to make a personal statement at the end of the meeting.

I invite the Minister to make her opening statement.