Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Access to Finance for SMEs: (Resumed) ISME, IBEC and SFA

1:00 pm

Photo of John LyonsJohn Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The next item on the agenda is our resumed discussion of access to finance for SMEs. I welcome Mr. Mark Fielding from the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises to discuss the matter.
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 joint committee. However, if they are directed by it 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 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. 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 am pleased to welcome Mr. Fielding and ask him to make his presentation.

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