John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I ask members and all those present to turn off their mobile phones. I also ask members to identify themselves as they contribute to the meeting. If members remove their masks during their contributions, it helps with the recording of the meeting.

I welcome the Minister and his officials. 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 remind them of the constitutional requirements that they must be physically present within the confines of the places in which Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House and the Convention Centre Dublin, in order to participate in public proceedings. I will not permit a member to participate where he or she is not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, any member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting. Members should confirm that they are in compliance with this requirement.

The Dáil ordered that the Revised Estimates for public services in respect of the following Votes be referred to this select committee for consideration: Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform; Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances; Vote 14 - State Laboratory; Vote 15 - Secret Service; Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service; Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office; Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman; Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement; and Vote 43 - Office of the Chief Government Information Officer.

As for the meeting format, as we consider the Revised Estimates, members can focus on the Department's commitment in terms of achieving its outputs and incomes, consider whether the performance targets included in the Estimates are a sufficiently complete description of services provided by the Department and whether those targets strike the right balance in terms of the needs of society, and consider whether the information provided by the Department makes clear how the moneys available are allocated between services and whether these allocations are the most appropriate in the circumstances. The meeting will conclude within two hours.

I ask the Minister to make an opening statement.