Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Our discussion is the 2013 allocation of expenditure in respect of Vote 38 - Department of Health, and Vote 39 - Health Service Executive.
I ask members and those in the Public Gallery to ensure that mobile phones are switched off. I welcome the Minister and his officials to the meeting.

By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give this committee. If a witness is directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and the witness continues to so do, the witness is entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of his or her evidence. Witnesses are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and witnesses are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise nor make charges against any person or persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

The purpose of this meeting is to establish how the Minister for Health proposes to allocate the moneys available to him in 2013 to provide services, while remaining within the 2013 ceiling and to offer members an opportunity to engage with him on how this might be achieved. The committee met in private session during which committee members expressed their disappointment at the lack of information provided by the Minister in advance of the meeting.