Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are joined today by representatives of the Department of Justice and Equality, the Irish Prison Service and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to examine Vote 21 of the 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts and the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts Special Report No. 93 on the annualised hours of the Prison Service. From the Department of Justice and Equality we are joined by Mr. Noel Waters, Secretary General; Mr. James Martin, assistant secretary; and Mr. Seamus Clifford, principal officer, financial shared services. From the Irish Prison Service we have Mr. Michael Donnellan, director general; Ms Caron McCaffrey, Mr. Trevor Jordon, Ms Mary Leydon and Mr. John McDermott. From the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform we have Mr. Ronan Gallagher.

I remind members, witnesses and those in the Gallery to turn off all mobile phones. If they start to ring, I must stop the conversations as they interfere with the recording of proceedings. I draw the attention of witnesses to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving the evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of that evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given. They are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members of the committee are reminded of the provisions of Standing Order 186 to the effect that the committee shall refrain from inquiring into the merits of a policy or policies of the Government or a Minister of the Government or the merits of the objectives of such a policy. Finally, members are reminded of the long-standing ruling of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official by name in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I ask the Comptroller and Auditor General to make his opening statement.