Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Good afternoon everybody, and welcome. We are continuing our series of meetings on Housing for All. We are joined by the following assistant secretaries from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage,: Mr. Feargal Ó Coigligh, housing policy, legislation and governance; Ms Áine Stapleton, social housing delivery; and Ms Caroline Timmons, housing affordability, inclusion and homelessness. Members have been circulated with the opening statement and briefing that the Department sent in advance, and I thank the Department for that.

We have had a long series of meetings with local government representatives. We have had ten or maybe 12 executives of local government and affordable housing bodies before us. We are generally looking at the historical, the current and the trajectory on social housing, affordable housing, cost rental, affordable rental, etc. We are now approaching the conclusion of the series of meetings. That is why we invited the Department in today to conclude and we have invited the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, to attend next week.

I thank the officials for their attendance. I acknowledge the incredible workload that they are under across all of their divisions and that when we bring them in here for the day, it takes them away from that important work. We appreciate their time here.

I will read a brief note on privilege before we commence with the opening statement and then here members' contributions. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the place in which the Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House, in order to participate in public meetings. For those witnesses attending in the committee room, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their contributions to today's meeting. This means they will have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say at the meeting. Both members and witnesses are expected not to abuse the privilege they enjoy. It is my duty as Chair to ensure this privilege is not abused. Therefore, if any statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, the speaker will be directed to discontinue his or her remarks. It is imperative that the speaker complies with any such direction. Members and witnesses 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.

I invite Mr. Ó Coigligh to make his opening statement on behalf of the Department.