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

I welcome the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, and his officials from the Department of Health: Mr. Jim Breslin, Secretary General, Ms Fiona Prendergast, finance unit, Mr. John Keegan, principal officer, and Mr. Barry Murphy, principal officer. The purpose of today's meeting is to consider the revised Estimates for 2015. Our meeting today will involve a slightly revised format, designed to encourage more focused scrutiny of the financial Estimates by linking them to Department's goals and targets. This is a significant opportunity for the Department and the committee to work together to enhance the scrutiny process and to encourage useful debate. I take this opportunity to thank the Minister's officials and acknowledge their efforts in preparing the briefing material for today's session, and for supplying additional information on specific areas and on performance, which I hope will benefit the meeting.

Session A covers the Department's performance in three areas of activity: the primary care community drugs schemes, acute hospitals and delayed discharges. For the benefit of members and those watching and listening at home, the format is that I will invite the Minister to make his opening remarks and to comment on the issues of performance, after which members, who have been supplied with briefing materials, may ask questions. In the first session, members should confine their questions to the three areas under scrutiny - namely, the cost of prescription drugs, acute hospitals and the issue of delayed discharges. The session will then be followed by an examination of each budget subhead in order. A draft timetable has been circulated. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Members have been given the departmental briefing note on each of the Votes. I will first call the Minister and then invite the Opposition spokespersons, Deputy Billy Kelleher and Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, to respond to the Minister before inviting committee members to address questions to the Minister on the areas concerned. I ask members, including the Minister, to be conscious of time. I am aware that the Minister has another engagement. I invite the Minister to make his opening remarks.