Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are meeting to consider the Revised Estimate for Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs, for the year ending 31 December 2017, which was referred to the committee by an order of the Dáil on 15 December 2016. When the committee has considered the Revised Estimate, this fact will be reported to the Dáil.

I welcome the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, and her officials. I thank them for the briefing documents they have supplied to the committee.

The proposed format for today's meeting is to deal with Vote 40 on a programme by programme basis. At the outset of consideration of the programme the Minister will give an overview of the programme. We will then open the discussion to the floor for questions from members of the committee. Before proceeding I ask that everyone to turn off their mobile phones or switch them to flight mode. Without any further ado, I invite the Minister to make her opening statement.