Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome you all to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Today we will have the first of two meetings at which the committee has agreed to look at modern construction methods. I thank you all for your attendance to assist us with this. The committee recently visited the Mount Lucas to have a look at some of the learnings there and at the training on modern construction methods. It was quite an impressive day. We learned a little bit about it and I hope we will all learn a little bit more about it this afternoon.

We are joined by the following witnesses: from Coillte, Mr. Mark Carlin, managing director, and Mr. Des O'Toole, marketing and communications director; from the National Standards Authority or Ireland, Ms Geraldine Larkin, CEO, Mr. Enda McDonnell, Mr Seán Balfe and Ms Yvonne Wylde; from the Office of Public Works, Mr Ciaran O'Connor, State architect and commissioner, and Mr. Gerard Harvey, assistant principal architect; from SOLAS, Mr. Andrew Brownlee, CEO, and Mr. Tony Dalton, director of further education and training at Laois-Offaly ETB. Opening statements and briefings have been circulated to members.

I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the place where the Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House, in order to participate in meetings. For those witnesses attending in the committee room, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their contributions to today's meetings. This means they 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 witnesses' statements are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that witnesses comply 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 now invite Mr. Carlin to make his opening statement on behalf of Coillte, followed by Ms Larkin of the NSAI, Mr. O'Connor of the OPW and Mr. Brownlee of SOLAS, in that order. Following the statements, members would usually have seven minutes each to put their questions and get answers from the witnesses. As we do not have a full attendance today, I should be able to allow more time for each member.