Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I ask for mobile telephones to be switched off for the duration of the meeting as they interfere with broadcasting equipment even when in silent mode. I welcome Dr. Ambrose McLoughlin, Secretary General at the Department of Health. He is accompanied by Ms Geraldine Fitzpatrick, assistant secretary in social care, Ms Gráinne Duffy, principal officer in the disabilities unit, Mr. Chris Costello, principal officer in the long-stay charges unit, and Ms Alison Keogh, assistant principal officer. Dr. McLoughlin joins us to deal with questions related to the 2010 Ombudsman's report entitled "Who Cares? An Investigation into the Right to Nursing Home Care in Ireland". At a committee meeting in February, Dr. McLoughlin contested the position that health boards had an obligation since 1970 to provide long-stay care for older people. He argued that adequate resources had never been provided to honour such obligations. As a committee with a formal relationship with the Ombudsman, we look forward to exploring some of the legacy issues arising from the 2010 report.

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 this committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a 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 they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise nor make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her, them or it identifiable. I invite Dr. McLoughlin to make his opening statement.