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

I welcome Mr. Owen Keegan, Dublin city manager; Mr. Michael Phillips, city engineer and director of traffic; Mr. Peadar O'Sullivan, acting head of waste management and Dublin waste to energy project engineer; and Mr. James Nolan, assistant engineer in the Dublin waste to energy project. I thank them for their attendance. By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the joint committee. However, 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 any person or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. The opening statements and any other documentation delegates have submitted to the committee will be published on the committee's website after the meeting. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.
Before I call our first delegate, I wish to make a number of comments. This is a very interesting topic which is of particular concern to politicians and people in general. We have of late seen issues raised regarding the spend in Uisce Éireann. Uisce Éireann management came before the committee and satisfactorily engaged with it on the issues raised and, in many respects, allayed concerns. There is also the issue of the Central Remedial Clinic. It, rightly, filters into the political system, whereby Members of Parliament wish to bring people before committees, hold them to account and have exchanges on expenditure. This is no different. What we want to establish is that the money spent to date has been well spent, that there has been good value for money and whether there are other issues in this regard. That will form the basis of our deliberations. I thank the delegates most sincerely for attending and engaging with us. Accordingly, we are very interested to hear the finer details to satisfy our curiosity. I invite Mr. Keegan to address the committee.