Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We are being broadcast live on UPC and on the Sky channels. It is important that people in the Visitors Gallery and around this table, including myself and the witnesses, turn off their mobile telephones now. It is not sufficient to have them on silent because they can interfere with the equipment. Today we have two sessions on the European Commission work programme. Initially we are going to engage with Commission officials and then we will be having a discussion with a number of Irish MEPs.

On behalf of the committee, I welcome Ms Barbara Nolan, head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland, who is joined by her colleague, Mr. Jonathan Claridge. They have both appeared before the committee in the past and are both very welcome. I thank them for meeting with us today.

The work programme sets out the proposed to-do list of work over the next 12 months. It contains 23 new initiatives on the basis that these will make a difference. It focuses on aspects such as jobs, growth and investment. We look forward to exploring all those areas with Ms Nolan and Mr. Claridge today.

Before we begin, I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that members 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 their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They 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 or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I invite Ms Nolan to make her contribution.