Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will commence because we have a very heavy agenda for the afternoon. We will have two sessions. I remind members, witnesses and those in the public Gallery to ensure their mobile phones are switched off completely for the duration of the meeting as they can cause interference, even in silent mode, with the recording equipment in the committee rooms. The first item on today's agenda is a discussion with representatives of the Centre for Global Development at UCC about the work of their organisation. On behalf of the committee, I would like to welcome them.

This meeting has resulted from an invitation I received to launch a book, What in the World?, which was written by Mr. Peadar King, who attended a meeting of the joint committee some time ago. When I met representatives of the Centre for Global Development on foot of that event, I thought they had a very good story to tell about the work they do in Cork in the course of their development and aid studies. I felt it would be appropriate to invite them to come before the committee to talk about the contribution they make and the courses they offer. We are delighted to have a strong team of five members of the centre in attendance: Professor Patrick Fitzpatrick, who is the director of the centre and the head of UCC's college of science, engineering and food science; Dr. Edward Lahiff of UCC's college of business and law; Dr. Simon Woodworth of the health information systems research centre and the college of business and law at UCC; Dr. Paul Conway, who is an associate director of Centre for Global Development; and Professor Tony Ryan of the UCC college of medicine and health. We are delighted that such a strong team has come from UCC to this meeting of the joint committee. There is a good turnout of members in attendance this afternoon.

The Centre for Global Development is the vehicle for UCC's global development strategy. It allows UCC to achieve its ambition to seek a global context for its activities. The centre also provides a focus for shared interest, experience and expertise in global development in a collaborative interdisciplinary environment. It enables those involved to stimulate new initiatives in teaching, learning, research and community engagement. In fact, many of those who work in the development are graduates of the relevant course at UCC. I know that many of those who work for Irish Aid came through the UCC system. We are pleased to have representatives of UCC with us. As they know, we work with Irish Aid as an integral part of the work we do in dealing with development. It is appropriate for us to see what our universities are doing to train some students in this area.

Before I invite the witnesses to make their presentation, I would like to advise them that they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of utterances at this committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease making remarks on a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their remarks. They are directed that only comments and evidence in relation to the subject matter of this meeting are to be given. They are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against a Member of either House of the Oireachtas, a person outside the Houses or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I know that each of the witnesses wants to make a contribution this afternoon. I call Professor Patrick Fitzpatrick, who is the director of the Centre for Global Development in UCC and the head of that university's college of science, engineering and food science, to address the committee. I welcome all the witnesses again.