Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Deputy Sean Sherlock.

I welcome everybody to this online meeting. Due to the current situation regarding Covid-19, only the clerk to the committee, support staff and myself are in the Seanad Chamber. Members of the committee are attending remotely from within the precincts of Leinster House. This is due to the constitutional requirement that all members must be physically present within the confines of the place in which Parliament has chosen to sit either here or the Convention Centre, to participate in public meetings. The Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, is a permanent witness to the committee and he is attending remotely.

Today, we are engaging with officials from the National Shared Services Office to examine the following: the 2019 Appropriation Account for Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office; and from the Comptroller and Auditor General's 2019 Report on the Accounts of the Public Service, Chapter 5 - Implementation of Financial Management Shared Services.

We are joined remotely, from within the precincts of Leinster House, by the following officials from the National Shared Services Office, Ms Hilary Murphy-Fagan, chief executive officer, Ms Bernie Kelly, assistant secretary, and Mr. Sean Reilly, assistant secretary. We are also joined remotely from outside the precincts of Leinster House by Mr. Fergal Costello, Government accounting officer at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. I would like to begin by welcoming them all to the meeting. I thank them and their staff for the briefing material that they have sent on to us and prepared for the meeting.

When we begin to engage, I ask members and witnesses to mute their computers when not contributing so we do not pick up any background noise or feedback. I also ask that contributors use the button to raise their hand when they wish to contribute. As always, I remind all those in attendance to ensure their mobile telephones are on silent mode or switched off. When they finish speaking they should take down their hand signal and I ask as I know that it can be forgotten.

I wish to explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses as regards references witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. The evidence of witnesses physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected by absolute privilege, pursuant to both the Constitution and statute. However, one of today's witnesses is giving evidence remotely, from a place outside of the parliamentary precincts, and as such may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as a witness that is physically present The witness has already been advised that he or she may think it appropriate to take legal advice on this matter.

Witnesses are also reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that 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, or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory with regard to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

Members are reminded of the provisions of Standing Order 218 that the committee shall refrain from inquiring into the merits of a policy or policies of the Government or a Minister of the Government or the merits of the objectives of such policies. Members are also 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.

To assist our broadcasting and debates services, I ask members, where possible, to direct their questions to specific witnesses. If the question has not been directed to a particular witness then I ask the witness to state his or her name before responding.

I now call on the Comptroller and Auditor General to make his opening statement.