John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We now a have a quorum and the committee is in public session. I remind members, visitors and those in the gallery to ensure that their mobile phones are switched off for the duration of the meeting, as they interfere with the meeting as well as the recording of proceedings.

This meeting has been convened to consider the Supplementary Estimate for Vote 37 on social protection, which was referred by the Dáil to the select committee on 24 November. I welcome the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Leo Varadkar, and his officials to the meeting. I thank them for the briefing material provided, which has been circulated to the members of the committee. Based on this information, the secretariat has prepared a briefing document, which has been circulated to members and the Department. For convenience, the briefing document shows the details of the underspend and overspend in various subheads, net of the Christmas bonus payments, which accounts for approximately 80% of movement within the Vote. Members may find that a useful summary.

I propose that the following arrangements apply to the debate. The Minister will make a brief address to the committee, after which each of the spokespeople will have an opportunity to make a brief response if they wish. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I remind members that in accordance with Standing Orders, discussion should be confined to the items constituting the Supplementary Estimates. They are as follows: subhead A1 - administration pay; subhead A2 - administration non-pay; subhead A3 - State pension non-contributory; subhead A5 - one-parent family payment; subhead A6 - widow's, widower's and civil partner's pension; subhead A8 - basic supplementary welfare allowance; subhead A9 - pharmacist; subhead A11 - other working age supports; subhead A12 - community employment programme; subheads A14 to A17, inclusive - back to work allowance; subhead A18 - national internship scheme, JobBridge; subhead A19 - back to education allowance; subhead A20 - Gateway; subhead A21 - back to work family dividend; subhead A22 - JobPlus; subhead A23 - wage subsidy scheme; subhead A24 - other employment schemes; subhead A25 - disability allowance; subhead A26 - blind pension; subhead A27 - carer's allowance; subhead A28 - domiciliary care allowance; subhead A29 - carer's support grant; subhead A30 - child benefit; subhead A31 - family income supplement; subhead A32 - back to school clothing and footwear; subhead A34 - other child-related payments; subhead A35 - rent supplement; subhead A36 - mortgage interest supplement; subhead A37 - household benefits package; subhead A39 - fuel allowance; subhead A41 - Office of the Pensions Ombudsman; and subhead A42 - miscellaneous.

I ask members to indicate the subhead they are referring to when they make their contributions. I invite the Minister to make his opening statement.