Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. That covers a wide range of pursuits within the Department. I propose, with the assent of committee members, to divide the questions between Vote 27 first on the international co-operation, and then Vote 28, which is more general.

I propose that we do not - as we have done in past years - divide the discussion on Vote 28 into the different programmes. We will keep that more general, unless it is inconvenient to the Tánaiste, but I suspect that he will not mind. Is that okay for members? We will deal with Vote 27 first, perhaps for 15 or 20 minutes, and then we will go to the more general discussion on Vote 28, unless members would like to do it the other way around. We will discuss Vote 27 first and then Vote 28, and we will not divide Vote 28 into the specific programmes of A to E. We will deal with it more generally. Is that agreed? Agreed. I call on Deputy Brady to speak on Vote 27.