Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The committee is in public session. I remind members, guests and people in the Visitors Gallery to turn off mobile telephones. Putting them on silent is not sufficient because they will interfere with the broadcast equipment. This meeting is being broadcast live on UPC television.

Today's meeting is on voting rights of EU citizens. I welcome His Excellency the Ambassador of Cyprus to Ireland, Dr. Michalis Stavrinos, His Excellency the Ambassador of Denmark to Ireland, Mr. Niels Pultz, His Excellency the Ambassador of Estonia to Ireland, Mr. Mait Martinson, and His Excellency the Ambassador of Spain to Ireland, Mr. Javier Garrigues Flórez. Members will be aware that the EU recently published a communication and recommendation on the voting rights of EU citizens exercising their right to free movement within the EU. The Commission criticised a number of countries, including Ireland, for not providing for voting rights in national elections for its citizens living in other member states. Along with Ireland, Denmark, Cyprus, Malta and the UK were cited for disenfranchising voters who have exercised their right to free movement within the EU. Today's meeting will provide an opportunity to explore with the ambassadors from Denmark and Cyprus how their countries have responded or will respond to the commission's criticism.

We will also briefed by the Estonian and Spanish ambassadors on the electoral rights in their countries where voting rights are extended to citizens who live abroad.
I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or body outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way that he, she or it could be identifiable. 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 the committee to cease giving evidence in respect of a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings today is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice 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.
Before the meeting, I spoke to the ambassadors to decide who would go first and we agreed that the Spanish ambassador would lead off. I invite Mr. Garrigues to make his presentation.