John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are meeting with Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland to discuss current trends relating to tourist numbers in Ireland and new marketing strategies to build on the success of The Gathering in 2013. On behalf of the committee I welcome Mr. Shaun Quinn, chief executive officer of Fáilte Ireland, and his colleagues Ms Fiona Monaghan and Mr. Paddy Mathews. I also welcome Mr. Mark Henry, director of central marketing at Tourism Ireland, and Ms Siobhán McManamy, head of co-operative marketing at Tourism Ireland. Yesterday I met the CEO of Tourism Ireland, Mr. Niall Gibbons, who is on his way to Canada as we speak. He gave me a briefing, but the witnesses will give the full story today.
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 witnesses are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. 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, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. Submissions and statements made in this committee meeting will be published on the Oireachtas website. 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 House or an official by name in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.
I now call on Mr. Shaun Quinn to make his opening statement.