Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have a reminder on public health arrangements. All those in the committee room are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19. Members are required to be in the Leinster House complex to attend the meeting remotely. We have had no apologies today. We will consider the Revised Estimates for 2023 for Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I welcome the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and his officials to the meeting. We appreciate the comprehensive briefing material that was provided by the Department for today's discussion. It has been circulated to members. The proposed format of the meeting is that we deal with Vote 32 on a programme-by-programme basis. There are three programmes and appropriations-in-aid. The Minister will make an opening statement. We will then consider each of the programmes separately with questions from members of the committee. I ask members to indicate which subhead they are referring to.

I remind people of parliamentary privilege before we start. I wish to explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses with regard to reference people may make to another person in their evidence. The evidence of witnesses physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected, pursuant to the Constitution and statute, by absolute privilege. 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 or her identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as defamatory to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory with regard to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed by me to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

I invite the Minister to make his brief opening remarks on the Revised Estimates.