Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to welcome Dr. Werner Raza from the Austrian Foundation for Development Research to discuss his analysis and findings on the transatlantic trade and investment partnership, TTIP, agreement, as published in his report entitled, Assess TTIP. We are also joined by Mr. Simon McKeever from the Irish Exporters Association and Mr. Pat Ivory from IBEC who will share their views on the agreement. On behalf of EU member states, the European Commission is negotiating this trade agreement with the USA. Last week the committee began its consideration of the agreement with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, and we hope to delve further into its details with our three guests.
Before we start, 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 outside the Houses, or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to the committee. If they are directed by it to cease giving evidence om 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 make charges against a person or an entity by name or in such as way as to make him, her or it identifiable.
Our first speaker will be Mr. Ivory from IBEC who will share his views on TTIP from an Irish business perspective.