Brian Walsh (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Jim Brown, chief executive of Ulster Bank, who is accompanied by Mr. Paul Stanley, chief financial officer, and Mr. Stephen Bell, chief risk officer. The format of the meeting is that Mr. Brown will make an opening statement. In advance of the meeting, we collated questions from members and submitted these to Ulster Bank. I thank Mr. Brown and his staff for their responses in writing to these queries, which we received last Monday. The responses have been distributed to members. Together with the input of our witnesses today, I hope all the key topics will be covered. None the less, a question and answer session will follow to clarify any matter that might arise.

I advise the witnesses 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. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a 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 they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members are reminded of the long-standing ruling of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I invite Mr. Brown to make his opening statement.