Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I remind people to turn their phones off. It is not sufficient to put them on silent mode because they may interfere with broadcasting equipment.

Apologies have been received from Senator Colm Burke.

Today the committee continues its series of meetings considering critical issues for Ireland in the event that our nearest neighbour, the UK, decides to exit from the European Union. A referendum on this question has been promised by the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, MP, should his party be returned to power following May's UK general election.

The committee took the decision to examine this issue now in view of the potential impact on this country and the many Irish citizens living in the United Kingdom. We had two meetings on the topic last week and we will hold another five meetings after today. Today's meeting will focus on the four freedoms - the freedom to trade in goods, services and capital and the free movement of people - and what would happen to Ireland in the context of these freedoms should the UK exit the European Union.

We have a number of guests today. We will start with Mr. Dáithí O'Ceallaigh from the Institute of International and European Affairs. He will be followed by Professor Siobhán Mullally, professor of law and director of the Centre for Criminal Justice and Human Rights; Professor Alan Matthews, professor emeritus of European agricultural policy in the department of economics, Trinity College Dublin; and Mr. Steve Aiken, the former chief executive of the British-Irish Chamber of Commerce. I welcome all four of our guests to today's meeting. We look forward to their respective insights on the issue.

Before we begin, I need to remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they 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 it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to 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 are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

We will begin with Mr. Daithí O'Ceallaigh.