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

The committee will consider petition No. P00042/12 from Mr. Kevin Walshe concerning the back to education allowance scheme. The committee will deliberate on the general policy aspects and development of the scheme and take evidence from Mr. Kevin Walshe, the petitioner, Ms Bríd O'Brien and Mr. Robert Lynch, head of policy and media and work section manager, respectively, of the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, and Mr. Oliver Egan, assistant secretary general, Mr. T. J. Fleming, principal officer, Mr. Donal Spellman, assistant principal officer, and Mr. Shane Reynolds, higher executive officer, of the Department of Social Protection. I welcome all of the witnesses. This is the first occasion on which an individual citizen has come before the committee to present a petition. As such, we are particularly pleased that Mr. Walshe has made himself available to meet with us today. It is an important step in the development of a robust petitions process which places the citizen at the heart of the parliamentary system.

I remind members to ensure their mobile telephones are switched off for the duration of the meeting as they interfere with the broadcasting equipment even when on silent mode. I also remind members and witnesses of the position on privilege. 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 in relation to 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 or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her, them or it identifiable. Members are reminded of a long-standing parliamentary practice and long-standing ruling of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or any official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.