Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Dáil, on 16 June 2016, ordered that the Revised Estimates for Public Services in respect of Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Vote 27 - International Co-operation, be referred to the select committee for consideration. At today's meeting, the committee will consider these Estimates and report back to the Dáil.

I welcome the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, and the Minister of State with responsibility for the diaspora and international development, Deputy Joe McHugh. I congratulate both of them on their appointments. I look forward to working closely with them over the term of the Thirty-second Dáil.

I also welcome the officials from the Department to today's meeting and thank them for the detailed briefing material provided to the committee. The proposed format of today's meeting is that we will hear brief opening remarks from the Minister before proceeding to deal with Vote 28 on a programme by programme basis. At the outset of the consideration of each of the programmes, the Minister can give an overview of the programme, including detailing any pressures likely to impact on the Department's performance or expenditure in relation to the programme this year. We will then open the discussion up to the floor for questions from members of the committee. On completion of Vote 28, we will proceed to Vote 27 and consider it in a similar manner.

Before proceeding to the business of the meeting, I remind members and those in the public Gallery that their mobile phones should be switched off completely for the duration of the meeting, as they cause interference with the recording equipment in committee rooms even if on silent mode. Members are reminded of a long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or body outside the House, or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I invite the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, to make brief opening remarks on the overall expenditure of the Department before proceeding to examine Vote 28.