Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all the witnesses and thank them for taking the time to come and present to the committee. At today's meeting we will hear presentations from the Marine Institute, the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, Údarás na Gaeltachta and Bord Iascaigh Mhara. From the Marine Institute we have Dr. Paul Connolly; from Bord Iascaigh Mhara we have Mr. Jason Whooley, chief executive, Mr. Michael Keatinge, fisheries development manager and Mr. Donal Maguire, aquaculture development manager; from the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority we have Mr. Micheál O'Mahony, Mr. Andrew Kinneen and Ms Susan Steele; and from Údarás na Gaeltachta we have Mr. Stiofán Ó Cúláin, chief executive, and Mr. Séamus Mac Eochaidh, enterprise and employment manager. I thank them all for travelling here. We look forward to hearing their views on the development of coastal and island communities.

The sub-committee was established to focus on the socioeconomic situation of these communities and on promoting sustainable industries. The main industries identified by the sub-committee are aquaculture, island and coastal fisheries, inshore fisheries, especially sea angling, and tourism. We have departed from the norm. Since the sub-committee tends to be a smaller group, we can fit all the witnesses across the front and this seems to be more conducive to better dialogue.

Before we continue I draw the attention of the witnesses to the matter of privilege. 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. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. Witnesses are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

We have no preference for who speaks first but we will proceed in the order that the witnesses are seated, if it is agreeable to everyone. I call on Dr. Connolly from the Marine Institute to make his opening statement.