Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Before we begin, I give the usual reminder to members and witnesses to turn off mobile telephones. I welcome the Minister and his officials and thank them for making themselves available to give us our pre-budget briefing. The Minister is accompanied by Mr. John McCarthy, Mr. Joe Cullen, Mr. Gerry Kenny, Mr. Pat Leahy and Ms Ruth Sutton from the Department of Finance and by Mr. John Kinnane and Mr. Ronnie Downes, the new assistant secretary, from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

It is a particularly busy time for you and your officials. The committee values the opportunity to engage with you on the budget. The purpose of today's meeting is to enhance the level of engagement and scrutiny on the budget process by the Oireachtas. We have produced a number of pre-budget scrutiny reports to date as you will be aware. Our aim in doing so is to offer further constructive feedback to you, as Minister. I wish to acknowledge the Department's assistance to us in this process to date.

Before calling the Minister I will read the statement on privilege. I advise our guests 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. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. 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 either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I invite the Minister to make his opening statement.