John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the fifth meeting of the Select Committee on Arrangements for Budgetary Scrutiny we will meet representatives of three organisations. First, we will meet Professor Alan Barrett from the Economic and Social Research Institute. We will then meet Professor John McHale, chairman of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council. He will be accompanied by Mr. Michael Tutty and Mr. Seamus Coffey who are members of the council. We will also meet Mr. Robert Chote of the UK Office for Budget Responsibility. He is in transit. This is the final public meeting of the committee. We can incorporate the issues arising from it and the replies due from Ministers into the series of recommendations that will form part of our report to the Sub-committee on Dáil reform.

The main part of our report will involve recommendations. The working paper circulated last week contained many of the recommendations to be considered. To avoid confusion, we will use the working paper as the basis of our work. Next Tuesday, 28 June, members will go through each recommendation and have an opportunity to add new recommendations, in addition to considering the document circulated. Further amendments arising from what we heard yesterday and what we will hear today will be circulated to members in advance of the meeting on Tuesday. Members should contact the clerk if they wish to introduce new recommendations. We plan on meeting at 4 p.m. and it is likely that we will need to have another meeting on Wednesday. It is also possible that we will need to meet again on Thursday in order that we can finalise the report. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I welcome the delegates, including those in the Visitors Gallery. I draw their attention to the fact that they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the Chairman to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to so do, 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 any person or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I welcome Professor Alan Barrett from the Economic and Social Research Institute. He is joined by Mr. John Palmer from the Department of Finance and Mr. William Beausang and Ms Sarah Swaine from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. I invite Professor Barrett to make his opening statement.