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

I welcome the guests, witnesses, members and those in the Visitors Gallery to the second session of our pre-budgetary submission hearings. Some members have left due to various commitments but I hope they will be back in due course. This committee decided it is important to hear from the witnesses at these hearings rather than have external briefings, all organised in witnesses' own sectors and spheres. Each group has three minutes. I will be strict on time because we want to engage in questions and answers.

Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in respect of a particular matter and continue to do so, 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 they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that where possible they should not criticise or make charges against any person or persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice or long-standing rule of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against either 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 Angela Edghill from the Irish Hospice Foundation to make her contribution.