Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

For our first session, I welcome Mr. Mark Fielding of the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association, ISME, and Mr. Seamus Coffey of University College Cork. I draw the attention of witnesses to the fact that 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.

If they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to so do, they will be 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 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. Members of the committee are reminded 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.

I remind our guests that their presentations should be no more than five minutes duration. As a number of delegates are presenting today, all of their presentations and submissions have been circulated to members in order that they might have an opportunity to read and digest their contents. I call on Mr. Mark Fielding to make his presentation on low pay and a living wage.