Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is our second session on the cost of prescription drugs in Ireland. I welcome Mr. Shane O'Sullivan, chief executive of Healthwave; Mr. Martin Gallagher, chair, and Mr. Michael Cullen, vice chair, of the Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Ireland; Mr. Jim Hannon, CEO of Clonmel Healthcare; and Professor Colum Dunne, foundation chair and director of research of the graduate entry medical school at the University of Limerick. They are all welcome and I thank them for being here. We appreciate them taking the time to be with us.

I remind the witnesses that they 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 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 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 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 invite Mr. O'Sullivan to make his opening remarks.