Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our witnesses to our meeting this morning. They will provide us with an update on the surge in the pandemic and the consequent demands being made on our health services, especially on our acute hospitals. The committee will address the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine at its meeting on Friday, 29 January. I welcome from the Department of Health Dr. Ronan Glynn, deputy chief medical officer; Ms Celeste O'Callaghan, director, acute hospitals policy division; Mr. David Smith, director, governance and performance division; and Mr. Gerry O'Brien, director, health protection division.

From the HSE, I welcome Mr. Liam Woods, national director of acute operations; Ms Angela Fitzgerald, deputy national director of acute operations; and Dr. Vida Hamilton, national clinical advisor and group lead for acute operations. Before we hear the opening statements, I point out to the witnesses that there is uncertainty as to whether parliamentary privilege applies to evidence given from a location outside the precincts of Leinster House. Therefore, if witnesses are directed by me to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter, they must respect that direction. I call Dr. Glynn to make his opening statement and he is very welcome this morning.