Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The committee is sitting in its capacity as the joint sub-committee on public petitions. I remind everybody to switch off their mobile telephones, BlackBerry and other devices. The proceedings are broadcast live and we do not wish to have them interrupted.

I welcome Ms Deirdre McCarthy who submitted a petition to the committee entitled, "Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme", which is petition No. 24 of 2014, and her colleague Ms Sian Muldowney. Thank you for forwarding the presentation and accompanying documentation. The members of the committee are keen to hear your views on social inclusion and community development programmes, after which there will be a questions and answers session.

Before commencing, I must inform you that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, you are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence you are to give this committee. If you are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and you continue to so do, you are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and you are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, you should not criticise or make charges against any person(s) or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I invite Ms McCarthy to make her presentation.