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

I welcome everyone to the meeting. We have received apologies from Deputies Kelly and Carthy. If attending from within the committee room, attendees are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others from the risks of Covid-19. 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, in order to participate in public meetings, Members must be physically present within the confines of the Parliament.

The Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, is a permanent witness to the committee. He is accompanied this morning by Ms Orla Duane, deputy director of audit at the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

This morning, we will engage with officials from the Department of Finance to examine the 2021 appropriation account for Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance, Finance Accounts 2021 and the following chapters of the 2021 Report on the Accounts of the Public Services of the Comptroller and Auditor General: chapter 1, on the Exchequer financial outturn for 2021; chapter 2, on the net cost of banking stabilisation measures; and chapter 22, on the Ireland Apple escrow fund. The Department has also been advised that the committee may also wish the examine the following during the meeting: expenditure relating to the liquidation of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, IBRC; the funding of superannuation liabilities at the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman, FSPO; exceptional payments made from the Central Fund to the European Union arising from an audit of customs; and the separation of Irish Water from the Ervia group.

We are joined by the following officials from the Department of Finance: Mr. John Hogan, Secretary General; Ms Emma Cunningham, assistant secretary; Ms Scline Scott, principal officer; Mr. John McCarthy, chief economist; and Mr. Des Carville, assistant secretary. We are also joined by Mr. Dermot Nolan, principal officer in the finance Vote section at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. All of the witnesses are very welcome.

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. As the witnesses are within the precincts of the Parliament, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the presentations they make to this committee. This means that 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. It is my duty as Cathaoirleach to ensure it is not abused. Therefore, if the witnesses' statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with such directions.

Members are reminded of the provisions within 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 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 or 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 call the Comptroller and Auditor General to make his opening statement.