Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have a quorum. Apologies have been received from Deputy Olivia Mitchell, who is abroad on official business. On 18 December 2014 the Dáil ordered that the Revised Estimates for public services in respect of the following Votes be referred to this committee for consideration: Vote 27 - International Co-operation; and Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade. At today's meeting, the select committee will consider these Estimates and report back to the Dáil.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, the Minister of State, Deputy Sean Sherlock, and their officials. The Chairman and Secretary General will be along shortly. We will hear opening remarks from the Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, before going on to deal with Vote 28 on a programme-by-programme basis. On completion of Vote 28, we will proceed to Vote 27 and consider it in a similar fashion.

I ask members to silence their mobile phones and switch them off as they interfere with the broadcasting system. I remind those in the Public Gallery to do likewise. I refer to the normal citation in regard to the naming of people outside the Houses in a way in which they might be identified in a fashion which might not be complementary. It is understood that all members acknowledge and agree to that. I call on the Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, to make his brief opening remarks on the overall expenditure in the Department before proceeding to Vote 28.