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

We will resume in public session. We are in session two. In terms of the format for the meeting today, in some sessions there are two persons per delegation and in some there are one, depending on the size of the delegations and the issue being discussed. I hope people understand that we are fair and equitable in this committee and our staff treat all with respect and courtesy, and I hope that everybody will behave similarly with members of the committee and the secretariat who do much good work. The staff of the committee secretariat work diligently on behalf of the members in a non-partisan impartial manner. It is not that we do not want to hear voices. We bring in the umbrella bodies of organisations, as we have done this morning. I hope our discussion will be respectful and tolerant.

I welcome all of the witnesses to the committee and thank them for being here. This is important proposed legislation, the general scheme of the Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013. As members and witnesses will be aware, the committee has had a series of meetings dealing with the issue, the pre-legislative scrutiny being asked of us by the Department of Health. It is important that we hear all viewpoints. We have asked for written submissions and today is part of the oral presentation.

I remind members, witnesses and those in the Gallery that mobile phones should be put in the "off" or flight mode position as they interfere with the broadcasting equipment.

I welcome the witnesses from the retail and commercial sector. Their views on the proposed legislation are eagerly awaited and, in this regard, I hope that we will have a frank and positive discussion. I thank them most sincerely for being here and for taking time to make a presentation to us. I will go through all of them individually when I call them to speak rather than doing so now. We are appreciative of Mr. Mike Ridgway coming from the United Kingdom. I thank him for being here this morning and for assisting us.

In regard to privilege, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on 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 are 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. I remind members of the long-standing ruling and parliamentary practice 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.

We received a number of apologies. Deputy Kelleher is having to take the Order of Business in the Dáil and Deputy Catherine Byrne will be late. We also received apologies from Senators MacSharry, Henry and Crown.

I welcome Ms Tara Buckley, director general of the Retail Grocery Dairy and Allied Trades Association, better known as RGDATA, and ask her to make her opening remarks.