Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality and her officials. The purpose of the meeting is to consider the Revised Estimates in the Justice group of Votes for 2017 - Votes 16, 20 to 25, inclusive, and 41. The format of the meeting will be that we will go through the Revised Estimates Vote by Vote. In the case of Vote 24 - Justice and Equality, we will proceed programme by programme. The Minister will begin by making an opening statement. We will then move to the Votes and programmes which I will call individually before opening the floor to members of the committee to ask questions on the various subheads. They will be called in the order in which they indicate.

I propose to take Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána - first being the most substantive in terms of expenditure. The reason for the short delay in starting was we were being briefed by the Oireachtas financial scrutiny team, the input of which we welcome. Members have been furnished with an additional specific briefing document prepared by the team on Vote 20 to which I encourage them to refer.

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

I call the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to make her opening statement.