Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his new position. He worked hard in the previous term and has been duly recognised with his role in this one.

Looking to the years ahead, I am delighted to be appointed to this committee. I sought it out because it is something I have been very interested in and focused on in my career. I am an accountant by profession and have worked in some large companies, so looking into the spending of money has always been key for me. Having the opportunity now to do it from a State perspective is not only important, but also humbling in its own way. It is great to be in the position to do that because when many of us look to go into politics, it is to serve the people and the State. To be able to do so and utilise my professional background in this fashion is an honour.

I thank my party leader, Simon Harris, for putting my name forward. I also thank the Fine Gael group in the previous term. We had some very effective members at various times, such as Alan Dillon, Ciarán Cannon, Colm Burke, Damien English and Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. They all made a huge contribution in that time and I look forward to following in their footsteps and doing the work they did with my own colleagues.

Catherine Murphy was referenced. Catherine and I served on Leixlip Town Council from 2009 until 2011 when she left and came to this House. I have experience working with Catherine and know her very well. I have watched the work and contribution she has made, so it is nice to have someone from Leixlip continuing that on, if I am being parochial.

I am delighted to be here. Many of the items of public expenditure the Cathaoirleach called out, be it the children's hospital, RTÉ, IPAS or whatever, we will need to get stuck into as a group. More importantly, we need to work together effectively. I am delighted to hear Deputy McAuliffe talk about - in fairness, he spoke about it yesterday - the collegiality of the group and how working together is the best way forward. We have experts on this side and experts behind the experts. I look forward to getting information and my teeth stuck into it, and more importantly, working on behalf of the State and the people who elected me to be the best person I can be on this committee.