Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Fintan Hourihan, chief executive of the Irish Dental Association, Ms Clare Dowling, employment and communications officer of the Irish Dental Association, Dr. Andrew Bolas, president of the Irish Dental Association, and Dr. Peter Gannon, chairman of the general practitioners' committee of the Irish Dental Association. I thank them for coming to our meeting this morning. We are glad that they were able to come in at such short notice and we appreciate their rearranging schedules to be here.

I remind members and those in the public gallery to switch off their mobile telephones rather than leaving them in silent mode because they interfere with broadcasting equipment and it is not fair to members of staff who have to put up with the interference in their headsets.

Our discussion this morning arises from a request from the Irish Dental Association to come before the committee. In correspondence with the committee the association has stated that it is worried and increasingly concerned about gum disease, loose teeth and extractions where it has not been possible to provide preventative treatments given the recent withdrawal of State support for patients. I thank Deputy Ó Caoláin for making this proposal at our meeting last week.

Before we commence I wish to remind members and witnesses that witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if a witness is directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in regard to a particular matter and continues to do so, the witness is entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of his evidence. Witnesses are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and are asked to respect the parliamentary practice that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or 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 House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I call on Mr. Hourihan to make his opening remarks.