Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My name is Andrew Doyle and I am Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I thank the delegation for their attendance, on behalf of the committee members.
During the course of the meeting the members will make contributions and I shall introduce them to the delegation. I thank everyone for their co-operation this morning and for facilitating a video-linked conference to brief us on policy priorities and ways to optimise the use of rural lands in a sustainable manner. We are interested in hearing the expert views of the members of the delegation on these matters. The committee welcomes the opportunity to be informed on the views of the Commission.
This morning's format will commence with the delegation making an opening introduction and outlining its position. Perhaps we will then go to members and give them an opportunity to ask questions, if they have any. I suggest that we deal with agriculture, the environment and then climate issues. Our main priorities, in Ireland's case, is to meet our food production targets as set out in the Food Harvest 2020 objectives, to offset carbon, the provision of clean water and protecting habitats for biodiversity. That is sort of the areas that we are in. We have held quite a few hearings because we are trying to prepare a report detailing an Irish model or position on how to best contribute to the objectives under the various EU directives.
The delegation has probably been advised about privilege. It may not seem relevant but I must do so. Please bear with me. I advise witnesses that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they 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 they are 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 invite Mr. Haniotis to make his opening statement.