No apologies have been received for today's meeting. I wish to advise members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in public meetings. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. 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.

The first item on the agenda is the minutes of the meeting of 18 March which have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed.

We have four items of correspondence. The first is additional information from the Construction Industry Federation, No. 2026-0018. The correspondence was received from the Construction Industry Federation regarding additional information arising from our engagement with the committee, held on 4 March 2026. The CIF answered each question in their respective sections. Do members wish to discuss this? We can note and publish it and members can use the correspondence as they see fit. It will be taken in as part of the committee's work to note that correspondence in relation to any reports that we will be drafting in due course. Is it agreed that we note and publish it? Agreed.

The next item is No. 2026-0019, which is additional information provided by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. The correspondence was received arising out of the meeting on 28 January 2026. The questions answered were raised by Deputies Tóibín, O'Hara, Clendennen and Cronin. Members may wish to discuss it and read it in their own time. It will be part of our documentation. It is further information. Is it agreed that we note and publish this correspondence? Agreed.

The next item is additional information from the Office of Government Procurement. This correspondence was received from the Office of Government Procurement regarding some of the additional information requested arising from their engagement with the committee on 4 March 2026. The remaining information will be sent in as soon as it is available, as requests are still being processed due to the complexity of the task. We will note and publish this correspondence today. If we want to discuss it, we will wait until we get the full response in due course. Is it agreed that we note and publish that correspondence? Agreed.

The next item is a request for exemption of pre-legislative scrutiny of the critical infrastructure Bill. As touched on last week, we have received a request from the Minister, Deputy Chambers, for the critical infrastructure Bill to be exempt from pre-legislative scrutiny, which is relevant to our work at the committee. On the Bill, the Department notes that the Bill will allow the Government, with Dáil approval, to designate specific infrastructure projects or programmes that the Government considers to be critical. The designation will require all State bodies involved in the approval process for the infrastructure in question to prioritise it for their consideration. It also requires all State bodies involved in the approval process for this infrastructure to co-operate and co-ordinate with each other. The Minister notes that this request for exemption is rooted in the urgency required in delivering this area, and that public consultation process on accelerating infrastructure has already been conducted extensively by the Department. The Minister notes in his correspondence that he will engage constructively with members during the passage of the Bill through the Houses, which will include the Minister being here if there are any amendments to the legislation proposed by the Government or the Opposition. This committee will discuss any such amendments it they arise, which they probably will. That will be dealt with on Committee Stage here. I am now proposing that we agree to the request from the Minister.

Before we go on to the next item on the agenda, we will suspend briefly while the witnesses take their seats.