Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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I remind people that mobile telephone signals interfere with the broadcast system and affect coverage. This meeting has been convened to allow the Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government to consider the Revised Estimates for the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government - Vote 25. The Department's brief on the 2014 Revised Estimates, along with a list of suggested questions complied by the committee secretariat have been circulated to members. I hope all members have studied the documentation because it provides useful information in the context of our deliberation on the Estimates.

I welcome the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government with responsibility for housing and planning, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, and the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government with responsibility for the NewEra project, Deputy Fergus O'Dowd. I also welcome the following officials: Ms Geraldine Tallon, Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government; Ms Maria Graham, assistant secretary, water and planning; Mr. Michael Layde, assistant secretary, housing; Mr. Colm Lavery, principal officer, local government finance, Mr. Cormac Clancy, principal office, community; Mr. Maurice Coughlan, principal officer, Department of Finance accounts; and Mr. Brendan Mahon, assistant principal, Department of Finance accounts. I invite the Minister to make his opening statement.