Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy.

I welcome the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton, and his officials. We are meeting to consider the Supplementary Estimate for Vote 26 - Education and Skills, in the amount of €136 million. I will repeat the following for the benefit of those members who were not present at the start of the meeting. The committee will have an opportunity to review the additional allocations being sought on an item by item basis; to focus on the reasons the additional allocations are being sought by the Department of Education and Skills; and to review the targets set for the relevant items, the resources available for them and the expected outputs and impact of the activities concerned. An opening statement has been submitted to the committee and will be published on its website after the meeting.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against any person outside the Houses or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I invite the Minister to make his opening remarks.