Dara Murphy (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise on behalf of the Chairman, who is delayed but hopes to join us in due course. I welcome Mr. Emmanuel Crabit, head of the general justice policies and judicial systems unit at the European Commission's Directorate General for Justice. Mr. Crabit is accompanied by Ms Eimear Ní Bhroin, political affairs officer at the European Commission office in Dublin. I also welcome Mr. Deaglán Ó Briain, principal officer at the Department of Justice and Equality. I welcome, too, our guests in the Public Gallery.
The European Commission recently adopted a proposal, COM (2014) 158, for a new framework aimed at safeguarding the rule of law in the European Union. The rule of law is one of the founding pillars of the EU, and the Commission has a crucial role, as the guardian of the treaties, in upholding it. The new framework provides for the Commission to intervene early in cases of serious and systemic threats to the rule of law in a member state. This has potential implications for member states, which is the reason for our initial examination today of the proposal. Members will have the opportunity to hear the rationale for the framework, how it will work and what will trigger the three-stage process of the new framework from the senior officials from the European Commission and the Department of Justice and Equality who are in attendance today.
Before commencing, 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. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in regard to 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 further directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.
I invite Mr. Crabit to make his opening statement.