Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everyone to the meeting of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee. Unfortunately, several committee members cannot be here.

I welcome Ms Deirdre Mortell from One Foundation; Mr. Paul O'Hara from Ashoka Ireland; and Mr. Seán Coughlan from Social Entrepreneurs Ireland. Each group will have 15 minutes to make a presentation. I propose that the committee take a 15 minute break between the second and third groups. When it comes to the question and answer sessions, I must give priority to the questions of committee members, but I will try to facilitate everyone. I ask committee members to be brief and not make statements about how good the delegates are. They are very good because otherwise they would not be here. I also ask committee members to ask concise and precise questions. If somebody rabbits on for four or five minutes, he or she will prevent other members from asking perhaps pertinent questions. I hope we will all be sensible and mature.

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 the committee. If, however, they are directed by the committee 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 directed that only evidence related to the subject matter of these proceedings should 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, persons or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I ask our first guest, Ms Mortell from One Foundation, to synopsise her submission.