Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our sixth group of witnesses: Ms Anja Murray, policy and advocacy team, BirdWatch Ireland, and Ms Caoimhe Muldoon, BirdWatch Ireland. I will outline the privilege advice and then invite you to address the committee.

Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence. 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. Witnesses are directed to restrict their evidence to the subject matter of the proceedings and to respect the parliamentary practice of not criticising or making charges against any person(s) or entity. Witnesses are asked to read the document that has been circulated to them concerning privilege.

I remind the witnesses not to read out their opening statement, as it has already been circulated to members. Some members have read it and others will read it over the next few days. We will take the opening statement as read. You can use your five minutes to give your own view on that. I ask Ms Anja Murray to address the committee.