Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

No apologies have been received. This meeting is to consider a Supplementary Estimate for Public Services for Vote 31 - Department of Transport. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton and her officials to the meeting. We only received the Estimates and the briefing details at 11 a.m. today. We will proceed with the meeting but we reserve the right as a committee to raise this with the Minister of State herself and the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. They are due in before us on 7 December on the aviation strategy. We want to proceed but because the information has come so late, we may decide that we do not have sufficient consideration of the data to make a decision on it after this meeting. We will see how the meeting goes but this is to put the Minister of State and her officials on notice that it is a matter that we may return to when they are in before us on 7 December.

We are considering the Supplementary Estimate today. Regrettably, we only received them at 11 a.m., which was two hours before this meeting. We had expected to receive them at 12 noon on Monday. That may have not been expressly in the invitation but that would be deemed to be the protocol. The Supplementary Estimate is for €114 million. That is a lot of taxpayer money. We are putting on notice that we may, as a committee, decide after this meeting that we need further time. If there is further time needed, we will deal with that when the Department is due before us on 7 December. That is more than within the timeframe required, which is within 60 days of a notice. That means within just over the next two weeks.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, and her officials to the meeting today. Witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. If their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to any identified person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks and it is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

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 Houses or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. Members are also reminded of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in public meetings. Reluctantly, I will not permit a member to participate if they are not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, any member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting. In this regard, I ask any members participating via MS Teams to confirm that they are on the grounds of Leinster House campus prior to making a contribution. All those present in the committee room are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19.

I call the Minister of State.