Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome from the Health Information and Quality Authority Ms Tracey Cooper, chief executive, Mr. Phelim Quinn, director of regulation, and Mr. Marty Whelan, head of communications and stakeholder engagement. They will present to us an update on the authority's work programme. This is part of our yearly meeting with the authority which provides a very valuable service. We look to it for guidance, information and communication. It has become a very important part of the health care stakeholder agenda and arena. We look up to it and aspire to seeing the standards it sets being met across all parts of the health system.

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 to the joint committee. If they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to 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 asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against a person or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members are reminded of the long-standing ruling of the Chair and parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I invite Ms Cooper to make her opening remarks.