Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everyone to the second part of our meeting. It is wonderful for members to have the opportunity to engage with the EU Commissioner for Energy, Mr. Günther Oettinger. I hope I pronounced his name properly.

Furthermore, I am very pleased to learn that the Commissioner has agreed to come to Ireland again next May during our Presidency of the European Council. I am delighted to welcome the Commissioner to Leinster House and I am sure I speak for colleagues when I say how honoured we are he has chosen to come before our committee. I trust he had a pleasant time this morning at the launch of the east-west electricity interconnector and prior to that at the Institute of International and European Affairs. He had a busy schedule which I hope he enjoyed.

The Commissioner is accompanied by his deputy head of cabinet, Mr. Eric Mamer, and by Barbara Nolan, head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland. They are all very welcome.

I wish to draw the witnesses' attention to the fact by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses 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 in respect of a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are also directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, 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.

I wish to advise that the opening statement the Commissioner has submitted to the committee will be published on the committee's website after this meeting.

I remind members 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 call on the Commissioner to make his address, following which members can put forward specific questions, as opposed to statements, as we have to conclude in 50 minutes as the Commissioner has to meet a tight time schedule.