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

Apologies have been received from Deputy Neasa Hourigan. This meeting has been convened to consider the 2021 Revised Estimates, Vote 38 - Department of Health. While the committee has no role in actually approving the Estimate, there is an opportunity for it to make scrutiny of the Department's budgetary performance more transparent. The briefing prepared by the secretariat illustrates the difference between the 2020 and the 2021 financial allocations subhead by subhead within each programme. In addition, briefing has been provided by the Department of Health, which goes into more detail and offers further analysis and focus on those subheads.

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and his officials who are presenting remotely within the precincts of Leinster House. We are meeting this afternoon to consider the 2021 Revised Estimates. I thank the Minister for providing a briefing note related to the Estimates. I propose the Minister makes his opening remarks after which I will invite members to contribute.