Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Deenihan, and Ms Emer Rocke, director of the Irish abroad unit, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This meeting provides an opportunity for members to discuss the recently launched Government policy for Ireland's diaspora.

I remind members, witnesses and those in the Visitors Gallery to ensure their mobile telephones are switched off completely for the duration of the meeting as they cause interference with the recording equipment in the committee rooms. As members are aware, today's meeting is being broadcast live on television on the Oireachtas channel.

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 or body 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 joint committee. If they are directed by the Chairman to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, 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 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.

Without any further delay I call my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, who has done a very good job since becoming Minister of State with responsibility for the diaspora. He is the Government's first such Minister of State, and in the past nine months he has travelled the world meeting Irish people and making connections. The recently launched policy is a result of the many meetings he had with the diaspora throughout the world. They have played an important role for Ireland, particularly in terms of its economic recovery, and it is important to cherish them.