Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our visitors from IDA Ireland: Ms Eileen Sharpe, head of growth markets and IT, Mr. John Conlon, executive vice president and head of Asia Pacific operations, and Mr. Shane Nolan, head of growth markets. They are attending to discuss activities in developing business and investment in growth markets. Our specific interest is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, area, on which the committee intends to do a report after the summer. I welcome our guests.

The format of today's meeting will involve opening statements from our visitors, after which we will take questions from members of the joint committee. I apologise for the low turnout. The commemorations at Arbour Hill are on this morning and we have lost many members to it. I hope they will turn up before the meeting is over.

I remind members, witnesses and those in the Public Gallery to ensure all mobile telephones are switched off as they interfere with the recording equipment. In advance of the IDA's presentations, I remind members 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 against an official either by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it 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 they continue to do so, 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 are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I invite Ms Sharpe to begin her presentation.