Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Item No. 7 is the scrutiny of COM (2011) 398 and COM (2012) 388 Multi-Annual Financial Framework 2014-2020. I welcome the following: Mr. Brendan O'Leary and Ms Niamh Campbell from the Department of Finance; Mr. Kyle O'Sullivan, from the Department of the Taoiseach; Mr. Jim Deane, from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; Ms Brid Cannon, from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Mr. Pat Kelly, from the Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation; and Mr. Vincent Landers from the Department of Education and Skills.

After the opening remarks of Mr. O'Leary and Ms Campbell, we will have a question and answer session. I remind members, witnesses and those in the public Gallery that all mobile telephones must be switched off.

By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence you are to give this committee. If you are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and you continue to so do, you are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and you are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, you 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 to the effect that members 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.

I thank the officials for coming before us this morning. I now ask Mr. O'Leary and Ms Campbell to make their opening statements.