Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The first session of this meeting has to finish by noon and the second session has to finish by 1 p.m.

Before I proceed with the meeting, on behalf of all members of the committee, I offer our sincere condolences to the family, friends and the wider school community at St. Michael’s College in Ballsbridge on the very sad and untimely passing of Andrew O’Donnell and Max Wall. By all accounts, they were too very fine young men who were well liked and respected by all in the school community. The outpouring of support and kind messages in recent days is testament to the high esteem they were held in by the school and their families. I would like to offer the committee’s condolences to the families and school community. We will be thinking of them in the weeks and months ahead.

Before I proceed, I ask members to be brief in their questioning. As I said, we have to finish this session by noon. The first item is the minutes of the meeting on 21 June. Are they agreed? Agreed.

On behalf of the committee, I welcome: Mr. Brendan Lennon, director of advocacy, Chime; Dr. John Bosco Conama, vice chair of board directors, the Irish Deaf Society, IDS; and Ms Eimer O’Rourke and Mr. Shane Hamilton, principal and a fifth-year student at the Holy Family School for the Deaf in Cabra, Dublin 7. The witnesses are here to discuss the education needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The Council of Irish Sign Language Interpreters had to decline the invitation because its witness is unwell.

We wish him a full and speedy recovery. The opening statement will be published on the website following today's meeting. I also welcome the observers in the Public Gallery, who have taken time to be with us today. I hope they enjoy their Oireachtas experience.

The format of the meeting is that I will invite witnesses to make a brief opening statement in the following order: Mr. Lennon, Dr. Conama, Ms O'Rourke and Mr. Hamilton. This will be followed by questions from members of the committee, who will have five minutes each. The committee will publish the opening statements on its website following today's meeting.

Before we begin, I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against any person or official outside of the Houses, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. Witnesses 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 witnesses' 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.

I call Mr. Lennon to deliver his opening statement.