Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Before we begin, I remind members and witnesses to turn off their mobile phones. The interference from mobile phones affects sound quality and the transmission of proceedings.

I welcome the Minister for Finance and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, who is accompanied by Mr. John McCarthy, chief economist, Mr. Rónán Hession, principal officer, and Mr. Joe Cullen, principal officer, from the Department of Finance and Mr. William Beausang, assistant secretary, and Mr. John Kinnane, principal officer, from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. I thank them for making themselves available.

We are meeting the Minister for Finance as part of our ex-ante scrutiny of the budget. In terms of best practice, the OECD promotes a whole-of-year approach to budget scrutiny whereby parliamentary engagement on budgeting is continuous and longer-term in nature rather than focused on a set-piece event once a year. Over time, and informed by the work of the Parliamentary Budget Office, I hope the committee can contribute to developing this approach. The best way to achieve that is to work with the Minister, in the context of his two roles, on an ongoing basis in order to enhance the process relating to budgetary scrutiny.

Before we hear the Minister's opening statement, I draw our guests' attention to the position on privilege, which also applies to officials who may contribute to proceedings. Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person 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 they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I the invite the Minister to make his opening statement.