Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Táimid réidh chun tosnú. Ba mhaith liom meabhrú do na baill agus iad siúd atá i láthair na fóin phóca a mhúchadh. I wish to remind people who are present, members, members of the media and the people in the Visitors Gallery that mobile phones and Blackberrys must be turned off completely or switched to flight mode because they interfere with the system here, especially since we will be depending on translating services. People should take the opportunity now to switch them off if they have not done so already.

Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an gCoimisinéir as ucht teacht os comhair an choiste. Tá súil agam go mbeidh lá mhaith againn agus díospóireacht mhaith. Táimid ar fad sásta fáilte a chur roimhe agus táimid chun iarraidh air ráiteas a dhéanamh ar an ról agus an remit atá aige mar Choimisinéir Teanga agus na dúshláin atá roimhe agus a eagras amach anseo.

Nuair a chuirfidh mé glaoch ar an gcoimisinéir, beidh pribhléidí parliminte i gceist. Before I commence and before I ask the commissioner to commence, by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act, he is protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence he is about to give to this committee. If he is directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and he continues to do so, he is entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of his evidence. He is directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and he is asked to respect the parliament practice to the effect that where possible he should not criticise nor make charges against any person or persons or entity by name or in such a manner as to make him, her or it identifiable.

Meabhraím do na daoine atá anseo gur fad is atá an choimisinéir ag labhairt os comhair an choiste as Ghaeilge, the translation unit will be providing simultaneous interpretation and there are headphones attached to each desk. Cuirim fáilte roimh an tUasal Colm Ó Coisdealbha, stiúrthóir Oifig an Coimisinéara Teanga, chomh maith. Ag an bpointe seo, cuirim fáilte roimh an gCoimisinéir Teanga agus iarraim air a ráiteas a thabhairt dúinn. Ina dhiaidh sin, beidh ceisteanna ó na baill atá anseo.