Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Members may recall initial plans to hold today's meeting on the topic of having local government input into the delivery of education. However, the proposed guests were not available. Instead we have decided to invite other guests to discuss managing or containing back-to-school costs. I welcome the representatives from CPMSA, the Church of Ireland, Educate Together, An Foras Pátrúnachta, the IVEA and the joint managerial bodies. I hope I have not left anybody out.

I wish to draw the attention of the delegations to privilege. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that members should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this committee. If witnesses are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. Witnesses are 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, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her, them or it identifiable.

I invite the groups to make their presentations and I remind them to speak for a maximum of five minutes each. I also remind them that we seek solutions and proposals rather than criticisms and that applies to the Members too. The presentations shall be followed by a question and answer session. We shall commence in the order that I read out earlier and I call on the representatives from the Catholic Primary School Management Association to make their presentation.