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

I welcome everyone to this morning's meeting. We have received apologies from Deputy Colm Burke.

Members and witnesses attending from within the committee room are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19. Members of the committee attending remotely must continue to do so from within the precincts of the Parliament due to the constitutional requirement that, in order 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. John Crehan, director of audit at the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

This morning we will engage with officials from the HSE to resume our examination of the following matters: Financial Statements 2021 - HSE. The committee has expressed particular interest in the following matters: disability services including the provision of disability services from outside agencies; emergency care waiting lists; GP services and in particular out-of-hours GP services; and funding for the disability service agencies. Both the HSE and the Department of Health have been informed that a further area of interest for the committee is the handling of claims relating to nursing home care which have been reported in the media this week. I understand that the Joint Committee on Health also intends to examine this matter. It is the role of this committee to examine accounts and expenditure and this will be the focus of our consideration. It is my understanding that the Joint Committee on Health will examine policy issues as that is its remit.

Both the HSE and the Department of Health have also been informed that the capital allocation for the HSE budget 2023 regarding the national children's hospital is likely to be discussed as well.

We are joined by the following officials from the Health Service Executive: Mr. Stephen Mulvaney, chief executive officer; Mr. Damien McCallion, chief operations officer, Dr. Colm Henry, chief clinical officer; Ms Yvonne O'Neill, national director, community operations; and Ms Ann Marie Hoey, national director of human resources. Ms Mairead Dolan, chief financial officer is joining us remotely.

We are also joined by the following officials from the Department of Health: Ms Deirdre Comiskey, principal officer, disability services unit, and Mr. John O'Grady, principal officer, finance unit.

I remind attendees 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 they may make to other persons in their evidence. As witnesses are within the precincts of Leinster House, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of presentations they make to the 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 and it is my duty as Cathaoirleach to ensure that this privilege is not abused. Therefore, if their 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 any such direction.

The evidence of witnesses physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected pursuant to both constitution and statute by absolute privilege. However one of today's witnesses is giving her evidence remotely from a place outside the parliamentary precincts and as such may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as those witnesses physically present do. Such witness has already been advised of this and may think it appropriate to take legal advice on the matter.

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 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.