Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome members and viewers who may be watching the proceedings on Oireachtas TV. On 19 December the Dáil ordered that the Revised Estimates for public services for the following Votes be referred to the select committee for consideration: Vote 27 - International Co-operation; Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade; Vote 35 - Army Pensions; and Vote 36 - Defence. Today the committee will consider the Estimates for Votes 35 and 36 and report back to the Dáil. On behalf of the committee, I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility for defence matters, Deputy Kehoe, who is accompanied by his officials. I thank the Department for providing briefing material in advance of the meeting.

The proposed format is that the committee deal with the Votes on a programme-by-programme basis. The Minister of State will give an overview of each programme, outlining the pressures likely to impact on the Department's performance or expenditure on the programme in 2019. The floor will then be opened to members to ask questions. I ask that they put their questions about the specific programme in order that we can progress in an orderly and efficiently manner.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against any person or body or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. I remind them to turn off their mobile phones or switch them to flight mode as they interfere with the sound system, even when left in silent mode, and make it difficult for the parliamentary reporters to report the proceedings. They can also adversely affect television coverage and web-streaming of the meeting.

Members received briefing documents on the Revised Estimates. I invite the Minister of State to make his opening statement.