Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everybody. Apologies have been received from Deputies Matt Carthy and Sean Sherlock who are engaged in other parliamentary duties. Please note that to limit the risk of spreading Covid-19, the service encourages all members, visitors and witnesses to continue to wear face masks when moving around the campus or when in close proximity to others, be respectful of other people's physical space and adhere to any other public health advice.

Members of the committee attending remotely must continue to do so from within the precincts of Leinster House. This is due to the constitutional requirement that to participate in public meetings, members must be physically present within the confines of the place where Parliament has chosen to sit.

The Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, is a permanent witness to the committee. He is accompanied by Mr. Paul Southern, deputy director of audit, from the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

This morning we engage with officials from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to examine the following matters: the 2020 appropriation accounts for Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform; Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances; Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement; and Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer. Also, from the Comptroller and Auditor General's 2020 Report on the Accounts of the Public Services, we will look at Chapter 4 - Vote accounting and budget management.

The Department has been advised that the committee may also wish to examine the following matters: the format and content of the appropriation accounts; public private partnerships; the Benefacts database; and the Department's role in the recruitment process for the CEO of Horse Racing Ireland.

We are joined in the committee room by the following officials from the Department: Mr. David Moloney, Secretary General, Ms Mary O'Donohue, director, Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, Mr. David Feeney, principal officer, corporate office, Mr. John Pender, principal officer, work and pensions division, and Ms Niamh Callaghan, principal officer, expenditure policy division.

As usual, I remind all those in attendance to ensure their mobile phones are on silent mode or switched off.

Before we start, I wish to explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practices of the House as regards references witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. As such witnesses are within the precincts of Leinster House, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the presentations they make to the committee. This means they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they may say at the meeting. However, they are expected not to abuse that privilege and it is my duty as Cathaoirleach to ensure it is not abused. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, the witnesses will be directed to discontinue their remarks and it is imperative that they comply with such direction.

Members are reminded of the provisions of Standing Order 218 that the committee shall refrain from inquiring into the merits of a policy or policies of the Government or a Minister of the Government, or the merits or objective of such policies. Members are also reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside of the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I call the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, to make his opening statement.