Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome everyone to the meeting. We have received apologies from Deputy Verona Murphy. Members and witnesses attending from within the committee room are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19.

Members of the committee attending remotely must continue to do so from within the precincts of Leinster House. This is due to the constitutional requirement that in order to participate in public meetings, members must be physically present within the confines of the Parliament. The Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, is a permanent witness to the committee. He is accompanied by Mr. John Crean, deputy director of audit at the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

This morning we will engage with officials from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to resume examination of the appropriation account 2021 for Vote 40 – Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The committee is particularly interested in direct provision expenditure and international protection, emergency accommodation, modular homes, and accommodation contracts and related processes. We are joined by the following officials from the Department: Mr. Kevin McCarthy, secretary general; Ms Carol Baxter, assistant secretary; Ms Sheenagh Rooney, assistant secretary; Mr. Toby Wolfe, principal officer; Ms Laura McGarrigle, assistant secretary; and Ms Lara Hynes, acting assistant secretary. We are also joined by Ms Jessica Lawless, principal officer of the Vote section of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. They are all very welcome. In addition, we have the State architect from the Office of Public Works, OPW, Mr. Ciaran O’Connor. Mr. O'Connor is very welcome also.

I remind all those in attendance to ensure their mobile phones are switched off or on silent. Before we start, I wish to explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and practices of the Houses as regards references they may make to other persons in their evidence. As they are within the precincts of Leinster House, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the presentations they make to the committee. This means that they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say at the meeting. However, they are expected not to abuse this privilege and it is my duty as Cathaoirleach to ensure it is not abused. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

Members are reminded of the provisions within Standing Order 218 that the committee shall refrain from inquiring into the merits of a policy or policies of the Government, or a Minister of the Government, or the merits of the objectives of such policies. Members are also reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice 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 now call on the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, for his opening statement.