Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is the fourth session of our pre-budget submissions. I welcome Professor Frank Murray from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland; Ms Cliona Loughnane, policy and research manager of the Irish Heart Foundation; Ms Kathleen O'Meara, head of advocacy and communications at the Irish Cancer Society; Mr. Gerry Martin, CEO, of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Dr. Shari McDaid, director of Mental Health Reform; and Ms Barbara O'Connell, CEO of Acquired Brain Injury Ireland.
The format of the meeting will be a roundtable discussion on health based on the pre-budget submissions received from the organisations before us. The witnesses will make their opening statements in the following order: the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, the Irish Heart Foundation, the Irish Cancer Society, the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland, Mental Health Reform and Acquired Brain Injury Ireland. A question and answer session with members will then ensue. Given the time constraints involved, and to ensure we have a constructive debate, I must insist all opening statements are kept to a maximum of three minutes. Witnesses have already been advised by the committee secretariat that I will stop them if they go over their time limit. Each member is entitled to ask questions only once and the relevant witnesses can respond. I remind members, witnesses and those in the public Gallery that all mobile phones must be switched off.
By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to do so, they will be entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members are reminded of the long-standing ruling of the Chair 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 Professor Murray to make his opening statement on the pre-budget submission.