Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Dr. Soares is the centre's research and policy manager. It is good to see him again. I welcome Ms Annmarie O'Kane who is the information officer and Border People project manager. She is in charge of the Border People website which has been an invaluable tool for people accessing information on entitlements on a cross-Border basis. The initiative has proved quite helpful since we last met the delegation. I also welcome Mr. Thomas Haverty who is research assistant.

The Centre for Cross Border Studies is an advocate for cross-Border co-operation and a valued source of research information and support for collaboration across borders on the island of Ireland, Europe and beyond. It is dedicated to contributing to social cohesion, economic development and environmental sustainability through cross-Border co-operation on the island of Ireland and beyond. We look forward to hearing from the delegation on opportunities to further develop North-South co-operation.

Before I invite the delegation to make its presentations, I advise witnesses that they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their utterances at this committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease making remarks on a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their remarks. They are directed that only comments related to the subject matter of this meeting are 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 a Member of either House of the Oireachtas, a person outside the Houses or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. Did the delegation catch all that?