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

We will resume with our fourth witness, Mr. Stewart Stevenson, Member of the Scottish Parliament. I also welcome Mr. Sorley McCaughey.

By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence you are to give this committee. If you are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and you continue to so do, you are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and you are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, you should not criticise nor make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Witnesses are asked to read the document circulated to them concerning privilege. I remind Mr. Stevenson not to read out his opening statement, which has been circulated to committee members. We will take it as read. Mr. Stevenson has a maximum of five minutes to deliver his opening statement.