Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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I welcome the members and viewers who may be watching our proceedings on Oireachtas TV to the committee, where we recommence Committee Stage of the Finance Bill.

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. Parliamentary privilege is considered to apply to the utterances of members participating online in a committee meeting when their participation is from within the parliamentary precincts. For this purpose, the parliamentary precincts are considered to be the accommodation assigned to the member in the Leinster House complex or its vicinity or another location in Leinster House or Leinster House 2000. Please note that members may participate remotely in proceedings held in public only from the locations listed above, as privilege for their utterances only applies when participating from those locations. It is also important to note that, in order to participate in a division of the committee, members must be physically present in the committee room.

On behalf of the select committee, I welcome back the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, and his officials.

Let us agree the meeting format and timetable. To provide for the smooth running of the meeting, any Member acting in substitution for a member of the committee should formally notify the clerk now, if he or she has not already done so. Divisions will be taken as they arise. Members attending this meeting in accordance with Standing Order 106(3) should be aware that, pursuant to that Standing Order, they may move their amendments and request a division but cannot participate in the voting on that amendment.

I propose that we suspend for a break from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and continue until 6 p.m. I propose another suspension from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., after which the committee will continue. We can agree at 7 p.m. what time we wish to adjourn. Does that proposal suit members?