Chairman:

Apologies have been received from Deputies Ó Caoláin, Healy, and Troy. I ask members to switch mobile phones off or set them to aeroplane mode to facilitate broadcast transmission which is being covered by UPC. People also need to be cognisant of the effect of mobile phone interference on staff who have to record the proceedings. It is important to note that it is their workplace as well.

The sole purpose of today's meeting is a discussion with Ms Norah Gibbons, chairperson designate of the child and family agency. She is very welcome this afternoon and I thank her for attending. I also welcome Ms Elizabeth Canavan, Mr. Gerard McKiernan and Mr. Bill O'Dea. As members are aware, the programme for Government committed to inviting proposed chairpersons of boards to appear before Oireachtas committees to engage in discussion. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Fitzgerald, established a task force on the child and family support agency in September 2011 in response to a commitment in the programme for Government. It has published a report that culminated in the introduction of the Bill to establish the child and family agency and the appointment of Ms Norah Gibbons as chairperson designate of the board.

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 or make charges against any persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members are reminded of a long-standing ruling of the Chair and parliamentary practice to the effect that members should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or any official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

The format of today's meeting is that Ms Gibbons will make her opening remarks, which will be followed by a question-and-answer session. Members have already been given a copy of Ms Gibbons's statement.