Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This meeting has been convened with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin, and the Minister of State with responsibility for sport and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Chambers to discuss key priorities and legislation of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media insofar as they relate to the remit of the committee, noting that matters in relation to programme area C - Irish Language and Gaeltacht now fall under the remit of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and Irish-Speaking Communities. Members will also note that following the formal referral of Supplementary Estimate for Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to the Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media, a meeting of the select committee has been convened following this session at 4 p.m. to consider the same.

I welcome the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin and the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, who will be joining the meeting in person; and their officials, who will be joining us remotely via Microsoft Teams. I advise them that their opening statements and any other documents that have been submitted to the committee may be published on the committee website following this meeting.

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 by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. For anyone watching this meeting, in most instances Oireachtas Members and witnesses may now be physically present in the committee room, or they may join remotely via Microsoft Teams. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that members must be physically present within the confines of Leinster House to participate in public meetings. I will not permit members who are outside the confines of Leinster House to attend.

If attending in the committee room, people are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19. Those attending in the committee room are strongly advised to practise good hand hygiene and to leave at least one vacant seat between themselves and others attending. They should always maintain an appropriate level of social distancing during and after the meeting. Masks - preferably of medical grade - must be worn at all times during the meeting except when speaking.

I ask members to please identify themselves when contributing for the benefit of the Debates Office staff preparing the Official Report, and to please mute their microphone when not contributing to reduce the background noise and feedback. If joining remotely, I ask members to use the raised hand function when they wish to contribute. I remind all those joining today's meeting to ensure their mobile phones are on silent or switched off.

I remind members that the speaking rota has been circulated. The time allotted is seven minutes for questions and answers. I would like to give everybody the opportunity to contribute today. Without further ado, I invite the Minister to make her opening statement.