Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I remind members to ensure that their mobile phones are switched off. It is not sufficient to put them on silent. They must be switched off as otherwise they will interfere with the broadcasting equipment. Could those in the Visitors Gallery check that their phones are switched off?
Before we come to today's business, I welcome to the committee our latest member. Deputy Derek Keating has been appointed to our committee to replace former Vice Chairman, Deputy Dara Murphy. The Deputy is very welcome to the committee. We look forward to his engagement here and we wish him the best for his tenure.
Today the committee will be briefed on the EU investment plan for Europe, recently announced by President Juncker. His first priority is to strengthen the stimulus towards investment and jobs. He sees this plan as a central pillar of that process. We will be briefed on this plan by Ms Barbara Nolan and Mr. Patrick O'Riordan, both from the European Commission's Dublin office. We will also be briefed on the recently published annual growth survey, which will include plans to streamline the European semester process. These are both very important aspects of our work. I welcome both Ms Nolan and Mr. O'Riordan. We will begin with the investment plan and then move on to the annual growth survey.
Before we do that, members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that members should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official 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 are to give this committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and they continue to so do, 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 nor make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.