David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The purpose of today's meeting is to have discussions with the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland on undocumented migrants living in this country. I welcome Ms Siobhan O'Donoghue and Ms Edel McGinley. I thank them for their attendance and for the submissions they gave us. The format is that they will make a brief opening remark for five minutes and then there will be a question and answer session.

I wish to advise the witnesses that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to this committee. If they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter to only qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are 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 persons 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 ruling of the Chair to the effect that they 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. I invite Ms McGinley to make her opening remarks.