Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We are now in public session. I welcome Commissioners Simon O'Brien, chairperson, Kieran FitzGerald and Carmel Foley of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, to our meeting. The commissioners are accompanied by Mr. Ray Leonard, deputy director of investigations, Mr. Chris McGuire, analyst, and Ms Suzie Rafter, communications and research officer. We are here today to discuss issues arising from reports of the unlawful surveillance of GSOC and the operation of the new protocols providing for enhanced co-operation between the Garda Síochána and GSOC, which were agreed in September 2013.

To ensure that mobile phone interference with the broadcasting equipment is kept to a minimum, I remind Members and those in the Public Gallery to switch their phones and tablets to aeroplane, safe or flight mode. I ask everyone to do that now because this meeting will be broadcast live on the Oireachtas television channel and on the Internet.

Before we commence, I will remind everyone of the position on privilege. Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this 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 nor make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. 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.

I now invite Commissioner O'Brien to make his opening statement.