Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I welcome members and viewers who may be watching the proceedings on Oireachtas TV to the public session of the Oireachtas Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs. On 19 November last, the Dáil ordered that the Supplementary Estimates for the public services in respect of Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs be referred to the committee for consideration. The select committee will consider the Estimates at today's meeting and report back to the Dáil. The committee is required to report back to the Dáil no later than 12 December 2019.

On behalf of the committee, I welcome the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, and Dr. Fergal Lynch, Mr. Dermot Ryan, Ms Michele Clarke, Ms Éimear Fisher, Mr. Gerard Hughes, Mr. Gordon Gaffney and Ms Sinead McEvoy from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. Thank you for your attendance. The proposed format of the meeting is that we will deal with the Supplementary Estimate for Vote 40 which relates to subhead A.3, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Minister can give an overview of the programme and the requirement for the Supplementary Estimate and that will be followed by members' questions.

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 remind members and guests to switch off their mobile telephones or put them in flight mode as not to do so will result in interference in our sound system and make it difficult for persons tuning into the proceedings to catch what we are saying. Members have received a briefing document on the Supplementary Estimate. I invite the Minister to make her opening statement.