Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Mr. Tom Moran, Secretary General; Ms Bríd Cannon, head of EU and international trade division; Mr. Paul Savage, assistant principal; and Ms Ann Derwin, chief economist. Mr. Cecil Beamish, assistant secretary, and Ms Josephine Kelly, head of seafood policy division, are in the Visitors Gallery and shall join us later. I thank the officials for coming to brief the joint committee on the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy.

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 it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and 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 asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against a person or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members 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 by name in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

Mr. Moran will give us an overview of Food Harvest 2020, outline progress and how the implementation plan is going. I apologise for the late start which was due to a change of ministerial rota. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine was scheduled to take Priority Questions today. As Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív and others expressed an interest in not missing the meeting, we delayed starting it in order to facilitate them. I thank the officials for the forbearance. I now invite Mr. Moran to make his opening statement.