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

I welcome our guests. 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, to be respectful of other people’s physical space and to adhere to any other public health advice. Particularly in the context of the latest wave of Covid, I ask people to adhere to that.

We are today engaging with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs to examine the 2020 appropriation accounts for Vote 27 - International Co-operation and Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs. The Department has been advised the committee may examine expenditure relating to the Passport Office, consular activity and the leasing and ownership of buildings, and the Department has provided advance briefing material in that regard.

As mentioned earlier, the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, is a permanent witness to the committee. He is accompanied by Mr. Leonard McKeown, deputy director of audit at the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. We are joined from the Department by Mr. John Conlan, chief operation officer and deputy Secretary General; Mr. Ruairí de Búrca, director general of the development, co-operation and Africa division of Irish Aid; Ms Siobhán Byrne, director of the Passport Service; and Ms Jane Connolly, finance director. We are also joined by Mr. Ken Cleary, principal officer in the foreign affairs Vote section of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

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 practice of the Houses as regards reference witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. Because they 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 say at the meeting. However, they are expected not to abuse this privilege and it is my duty as Cathaoirleach to ensure it is not abused. If, therefore, their statements are defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks and it is imperative they comply with that.

Members are reminded of the provisions in Standing Order 218 such 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 of the objectives of such policies. Members are also reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not comment on, criticise nor make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I invite the Comptroller and Auditor General to make his opening statement.