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

I welcome the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, who is accompanied by Mr. Brian Purcell, Secretary General, and Mr. Michael Flahive, assistant secretary, and thank them for their attendance. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss issues arising from reports of the unlawful surveillance of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission.

To ensure that mobile telephone interference with the broadcasting equipment is kept to a minimum, I remind members and those in the gallery to switch their phones and iPads to aeroplane, safe or flight mode. I ask everyone to do that now because this meeting will be broadcast live on the UPC channel and on the Internet.

The questions today will be purely around the issue at hand, that is, the controversy around the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and alleged bugging, not other issues. Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to the committee. However, if witnesses are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. Witnesses 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, 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 members 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 now invite the Minister to make his opening statement.