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

We are now in public session. I welcome Mr. Eoin Kelly and Ms Lorraine Dempsey of the Special Needs Parents Association to today's meeting to discuss their experience of special needs education provision in Ireland and to outline any concerns they may have.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice 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. By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence. However, if they are asked to stop giving evidence in relation to a particular matter but continue to do so, they are then only covered by qualified privilege. Witnesses are reminded that they should only give evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings and that they should respect the parliamentary practice of not criticising or making charges against any person outside the Houses in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

We must finish this part of the meeting at 2.30 p.m. and in that context, I ask that presentation be delivered in five minutes, following which members can ask questions or make comments.