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

I remind members, delegates and those in the gallery to either turn off their mobile phones or put them in flight mode.

I welcome the Minister for Health and his officials, Mr. Tony O'Brien and his officials, members and those in the gallery to our first meeting of 2014. I wish everybody a happy, prosperous, tranquil and gentle new year. I also hope the committee will have a good year. I thank all committee members for their work last year, as well as the Minister, Mr. O'Brien and the staff of the Department of Health and the HSE. I pay tribute to HSE staff who demonstrated tremendous commitment on behalf of the people in 2013 and thank them for the service they provide at different hours of the day and night, which sometimes is not noticed or commented on in a positive manner.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the HSE's service plan for 2014. I remind members that we will have our quarterly meeting with the Minister and Mr. O'Brien on Thursday and I would appreciate it if they could defer questions on other matters until then. I do not wish to begin the year in an adversarial manner and hope we can proceed in a positive, calm, tranquil and collegial way. A copy of the service plan has been circulated to all members, while the opening statements and supporting documents were communicated to members prior to the meeting.

Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the joint committee. However, if they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against a person or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice and ruling of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I have received apologies from Deputies Catherine Byrne and Regina Doherty and Senator Imelda Henry, while Deputy Robert Dowds has to attend the meeting of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht. I call on the Minister to make his opening remarks.