Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses. We are very grateful for their submissions and their oral evidence, which will be taken on board and will form part of our eventual conclusions.

We will now move on to group five, State agencies. The committee will now hear presentations from two State bodies which are central to the promotion and support of farm safety. The Health and Safety Authority, which was established in 1989, it is the national statutory body with responsibility for ensuring that workers, whether employed or self-employed, and those affected by work activity are protected from work-related injury and ill-health. The Health and Safety Authority is represented by Mr. Martin O'Halloran, CEO, and Mr. Pat Griffin.

Teagasc, which was established in 1988, is the national body providing integrated research and advisory and training services for the agriculture and food industry and rural communities. Teagasc is represented by Mr. John G. McNamara, health and safety officer, and by Mr. David Meredith, spatial analysis and rural development. They are all very welcome.

Before we begin, I remind witnesses that their position before the committee is that of a witness. Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give 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 will thereafter be entitled 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 by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I invite the representatives of the Health and Safety Authority to address the committee. Each group will have five minutes and we will then have a question and answer session with the Senators.