Maria Bailey (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

At the request of the broadcasting and recording services, members are requested to ensure that their mobile phones are completely turned off or switched to airplane, safe or flight mode for the duration of the meeting. It is not sufficient for members to put their phones on silent mode as this will maintain the level of interference with the broadcasting systems. Apologies have been received from Senator Grace O'Sullivan. Senator Kelleher is here in her place.

The purpose of today's meeting is to discuss the third quarterly progress report of the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness and emergency accommodation. I welcome to our meeting today the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy. On behalf of the committee, I congratulate him on his new appointment. We wish him well and look forward to his ongoing engagement with this committee. I also welcome the Secretary General of the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Mr. John. McCarthy, along his departmental colleagues Mr. David Walsh, Ms Mary Hurley, Ms Nina Murray and Mr. Eamonn Waters. I now call on the Minister to make his opening statement.