Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have received apologies from the Chairman, Deputy McGuinness. I remind members to ensure their mobile phones are switched off. If they are not switched off, there will be the usual consequences, whatever they are. The contributions of members who speak from positions in the room that do not have microphones cannot be included in the Official Report. Members also need to have a microphone in front of them if they are outside of the Chamber. For the purposes of the Official Report, I have been requested to identify members when they are called to speak. Members are requested to remove their face coverings when speaking to ensure their contributions can be adequately and clearly recorded. I welcome members and viewers who may be watching our proceedings on Oireachtas TV to the public session of the Oireachtas Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach.

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. Parliamentary privilege is considered to apply to the utterances of members participating online in a committee meeting when their participation is from within the parliamentary precincts. For this purpose, the parliamentary precincts are considered to be the accommodation assigned to the member in the Leinster House complex or its vicinity, or another location in Leinster House or Leinster House 2000. I ask the members to note that they may participate remotely in proceedings held in public only from the locations listed earlier as privilege to their utterances only applies when participating from these locations.

On behalf of the select committee, I welcome the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, and his officials. To provide for the smooth running of the meeting, any member acting in substitution for a member of the committee should formally notify the clerk now if they have not already done so. Divisions will be taken as they arise. Members must attend in person in the committee meeting room for divisions, although they may attend the meeting remotely. Members attending this meeting in accordance with Standing Order 106(3) should be aware that, pursuant to the Standing Order, they may move amendments but cannot participate in voting on that amendment. If you are not a member, you can move an amendment but you cannot participate in the voting. I now invite the Minister to make his opening remarks.