Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The meeting is in public session. The item before us is the role and contribution of public interest directors in financial institutions. I welcome Ms Margaret Hayes and Mr. Ray MacSharry, public interest directors in Permanent TSB. The format of the meeting is that the public interest directors will make some opening remarks, which will be followed by a question and answer session. As the meeting is being broadcast by UPC on channel 207, I remind members to switch off their mobile telephones.

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 only to 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 acknowledge the presence of Mr. Ray Gordon and Mr. Ciaran Long from Permanent TSB in the Public Gallery. I invite Ms Hayes and Mr. MacSharry to make their opening statements.