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

The main business of the meeting is the quarterly meeting with the Minister for Health, the Department of Health and the HSE. I welcome to their first quarterly meeting the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, and Mr. Jim Breslin, the new Secretary General at the Department of Health. I also welcome the officials of the HSE who are led by their director general, Mr. Tony O'Brien.

I advise the witnesses that they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. Only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and witnesses are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or 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 members should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I again thank the Minister, the HSE and all his team for being here. I acknowledge that the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is also in attendance for the first time as the Minister responsible for primary care. She has always been a good friend to this committee and I welcome her.