Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Before commencing business, I remind members, witnesses and those in the Public Gallery that all mobile telephones must be switched off to avoid interference, as this meeting is being broadcast.
Next week, the joint committee will hold a series of meetings during which we will discuss with the chief executive officers of Ulster Bank, Permanent TSB, AIB and Bank of Ireland the progress made by them in meeting targets in the mortgage arrears resolution process and related matters. The joint committee believes it is important, before next week's meeting, to hear from organisations providing assistance to people who are struggling to manage their mortgages about their experience and what they believe can be done to improve the situation. I thank all the organisations for the material they have provided to the committee and for attending today.
The meeting will take place in two parts, each involving three organisations. Each organisation will make an opening presentation of no more than five minutes, following which members will ask the witnesses questions. We will suspend proceedings for a short period after the first part of the meeting to facilitate the change-over in witnesses.
On behalf of the committee, I welcome representatives of the first group of organisations: the Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation, IMHO, which is represented by Mr. David Hall, director, and Mr. Steven Curtis; Free Legal Advice Centres, FLAC, which is represented by Ms Noeleen Blackwell, director general, and Mr. Paul Joyce, senior policy analyst; and the Money Advice & Budgeting Service, MABS, which is represented by Ms Carol Dunne, business manager, and Ms Anna Walsh.
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 committee. 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. The 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 or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.
I invite each organisation to make its opening statement in the following order: IMHO, FLAC and MABS. As we have 100 minutes for this session, I would ask them please not to exceed five minutes when making statements.