Joe O'Reilly (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is my great pleasure to welcome the Carers' Cross-Border Consortium.

The delegation includes Ms Rosaleen Doonan from the Carers Association; Mr. Sean Caughey, the Carers Trust Northern Ireland; Ms Maria Mulligan, volunteer and social worker; Ms Jennifer Van Aswegen, Disability Federation of Ireland, and Ms Siobhan McEniff from the Health Service Executive. They are welcome to the meeting. We are all passionate about the invaluable work that carers do every day, caring for family or friends who need help because of frailty, illness or disability. It touches an emotion in everyone. Today we will discuss the supports available for carers across the island and explore the opportunities for greater co-operation in developing policy in this important area of health provision.

Before I invite the witnesses to make their presentation I advise them they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if a witness is directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in regard to a particular matter and continues to do so, the witness is entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of his or her evidence. Witnesses are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of the meeting is admissible and are asked to respect the parliamentary practice that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against a Member of either House, etc. I do not think these difficulties will arise.

I invite Ms Doonan to proceed with her opening statement.