Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This meeting has been convened to consider the Revised Estimates for Vote 29, excluding programme A, which relates to communications and comes under the remit of the Select Committee on Transport and Communications Networks. It will be considered by that committee.

I welcome the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and his officials. I thank the officials for providing the briefing for members. The proposed format of today's meeting is that we will deal with Vote 29, programme by programme. At the outset the Minister will make an opening statement. There are five programmes and we will consider each of them separately, with questions from members.

Before proceeding, I remind members that their mobile telephones should be switched off completely for the duration of the meeting, as they cause interference with the recording equipment in committee rooms even if on silent mode.

Regarding privilege, 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 invite the Minister to make his opening statement.