Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte mhór roimh chuile dhuine a tháinig anseo inniu. Is onóir mhór í domsa a bheith mar Chathaoirleach ar an gcoiste seo freisin. Táim ag tnúth le hobair dian a bheith os ár gcomhair as seo amach.

I advise everyone that headsets are provided in the committee room with an interpretation service provided by Rannóg an Aistriúcháin.

I welcome the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys; the Ministers of State, Deputies Seán Kyne and Michael Ring, and all of their officials. A great team of officials have been brought to educate all of us.

The purpose of the meeting is to consider the Department's Revised Estimate for 2016. I draw everyone's attention to the draft timetable circulated for the meeting and the fact that there are fixed time limits for each programme. Is the timetable agreed to? Agreed.

Briefing material which provides details of the Revised Estimate was circulated to members. I propose the following arrangements: there will be no opening statements; the Minister will make a brief opening statement prior to our consideration of each programme, in she should indicate if there are emerging pressures likely to impact on departmental performance or expenditure on each of the programmes in 2016; whether there are concerns about performance or service delivery in particular areas to the extent that there is a possibility that the funding allocated will not be fully spent by year end; the areas involved and the reasons for a possible saving or underspend; and whether reallocation of funds to, from or within the programme has taken place or is contemplated. The issue of administration will be considered under these headings when each of the programme areas has been disposed of or as we deal with each of the programmes. I propose that questions on programmes be taken together, at the end of which the Minister can respond.

I will deal with the individual programmes and corresponding subheads under the Vote. The Minister might make a brief opening statement on programme A.