Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome everyone to this morning's meeting. We have received apologies from Deputies Catherine Murphy and Imelda Munster.

On behalf of the committee, I welcome the two newly appointed members of the committee, Deputy John Brady and Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh. They are very welcome and I look forward to working with them both.

If attending the meeting from within the committee room, members and witnesses 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 do so from within the precincts of Leinster House. This is due to the constitutional requirement that, to participate in public meetings, members must be physically present within the confines of the place where Parliament has chosen to sit.

The Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, is a permanent witness to the committee. He is accompanied by Ms Mary Henry, deputy director of audit at the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

This morning, we will engage with officials from the An Bord Pleanála to examine its Financial Statements 2021 and we are joined by the following officials from An Bord Pleanála: Ms Oonagh Buckley, interim chairperson; Mr. Chris McGarry, deputy chairperson; Ms Bríd Hill, chief officer; Mr. Gerard Egan, director of corporate affairs; and Ms Anne Killian, senior administrative officer of the finance section. We are also joined by the following officials from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Mr. Paul Hogan, acting assistant Secretary General, planning division; and Ms Paula Donohue, assistant principal. They are all very welcome.

I remind all those in attendance to ensure their mobile phones are on silent mode or switched off. Before we start, I wish to explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege, and the practice of the Houses as regards reference witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. The evidence of witnesses physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected, pursuant to both the Constitution and statute, by absolute privilege. As they are within the precincts of Leinster House, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the presentation they make to the committee. This means that they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say at this meeting. However, they are expected not to abuse this privilege and it is my duty, as Cathaoirleach, to ensure that this privilege 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.

Before we move to opening statements, Members are aware that there are a number of ongoing inquiries, four in total, and examinations that focus on alleged conflict of interest and governance issues at An Bord Pleanála. To avoid the risk of prejudicing these investigations, as well as other potential proceedings, that may follow their conclusion, and to respect the fact that a review of decisions of the board is a matter for the courts, and because Members should not comment on, criticise, or make charges against a person outside the Houses either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable, I will not permit Members to question or comment on the matters that are the subject of the inquiries, so specific planning applications, for example. Discussion of matters related to the board’s decisions should focus on systems and processes, and avoid discussion of specific cases or individuals. I hope that Members will follow that because there have been a lot of contentious issues around An Bord Pleanála. Also, there is a new interim chairperson and deputy chairperson so there has been a significant amount of change. I ask Members to bear all that in mind.

I call the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, to make his opening statement.