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

Our third and final sequence of meetings will discuss pre-budget submissions from various voluntary organisations working in the health and children sector. I welcome representatives from the Children's Rights Alliance and the National Youth Council of Ireland to our meeting. I thank them for the work they undertake on behalf of all of us and for both their oral presentation and the written submission they made to us.

I remind people that their mobile telephones should be turned off and not left on airplane mode as they interfere with the recording of the proceedings and with the quality of the sound, and our staff should not have to put up with that.

As was the case in the two previous sessions I ask witnesses to remain within the time remit of three minutes each. I hope we can have a good discussion similar to the two previous discussions. I apologise for the absence of some of our members who had to attend other meetings. Unfortunately, it is part of life in Leinster House that when we are at the end of a session members drift off to other events and I apologise for that.

Regarding privilege, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to the joint committee. However, if they are directed by the committee 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 again welcome Ms Tanya Ward, Ms Saoirse Brady and Mr. James Doorley to our proceedings and I ask Ms Ward to make her opening statement.