Chairman:

I welcome Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, and her Department officials to the meeting. We are waiting with bated breath on the announcements of Cabinet today. She can give us a heads up and run it by us to see if we are happy with them or not.

The Dáil ordered the following Revised Estimates be referred to the committee for its consideration: Vote 31 - Department of Transport; and programme A of Vote - 29 Department of Environment, Climate and Communications. I remind members that the committee has no role in actually approving the Estimates. It is an ongoing opportunity for the committee to examine departmental expenditure, to make the process more transparent and to engage in a meaningful way on relevant performance issues.

As I said earlier, I welcome Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, and her Department officials to the meeting this afternoon. Witnesses are 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 the statements of a witness are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, the witness will be directed to discontinue his or her remarks. It is imperative that witnesses comply with any such direction.

Witnesses attending remotely from outside the Leinster House campus should note there is some limitation on parliamentary privilege and, as such, they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as witnesses physically present. Witnesses participating in this meeting from a jurisdiction outside the State are advised that they should also be mindful of their domestic law and how it may apply to the evidence they give.

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 House 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 meetings. 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. In this regard, I ask any members participating via Teams, prior to making their contribution to the meeting, to confirm that they are on the grounds of the Leinster House campus. I call on the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, to make her opening statement. We are conscious of time and I note she had made reference to an abridged version of her statement. I thank the Minister of State for that. Within the confines, we have to be out of here by 6 p.m.