Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have received an apology from Deputy Clarke and I welcome Deputy Mairéad Farrell in substitution. She is very welcome to our committee. We are dealing with Revised Estimates for public services. The Dáil ordered that the Revised Estimates for public services in respect of the following Votes be referred to this committee for consideration, namely, Vote 35 on Army pensions and Vote 36 on defence. The select committee will consider the Estimates for Votes 35 and 36.

I welcome the Minister for Defence, Deputy Simon Coveney, and his officials: Mr. David Geraghty, principal officer, Mr. Michael O'Boyle, principal officer, and Mr. Robert Mooney, assistant secretary. I particularly welcome the Minister to this engagement having regard to his quite taxing and busy schedule. I am very pleased, as are members, that he is joining us in person.

The proposed format of the meeting is that the committee will deal with Votes 35 and 36 under programmes A and B. At the outset of our consideration, I invite the Minister to give an overview of the Votes, outlining any pressures likely to impact on his Department's performance or expenditure relating to the Votes for the remainder of 2022. We will take the Votes in reverse order with Vote 36 followed by Vote 35. The floor will then be opened for questions from members of the committee on each programme for both Votes. I ask that members put their questions on the specific programme in order that we can progress in an orderly and efficient manner.