Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As we have a quorum, the Joint Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis is now in public session. Is that agreed? Agreed. And in doing so can I remind members and those in public Gallery to ensure that their mobile devices are switched off? We begin session one is a public hearing discussion with Mr. Tom Parlon, director general, and Mr. Liam Kelleher, former director general, of the Construction Industry Federation.

I would like to welcome everyone to the 25th public hearing of the Joint Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis. Today we continue our hearings with the key players during the crisis. This morning we will hear from Mr. Tom Parlon, director general, and Mr. Liam Kelleher, former director general, of the Construction Industry Federation.

Tom Parlon has been the director general for the Construction Industry Federation since 2007. From 2002 to 2007 he was Minister for State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for the OPW. Prior to this, he was president of the Irish Farmers Association. Mr. Liam Kelleher was the director general of the Construction Industry Federation from 1993 until his retirement in 2007. Prior to this, he worked with An Bord Tráchtála - previously Córas Tráchtála - and from 1977, holding the position of European director from 1989 to 1993. Mr. Parlon and Mr. Kelleher, you are both welcome before the inquiry this morning.

Before I hear from the witnesses, I wish to 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 this committee. If you're directed by the Chairman to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and you continue to so do, you are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You're directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given. I would remind members and those present that there are currently criminal proceedings ongoing and further criminal proceedings are scheduled during the lifetime of the inquiry, which overlap with the subject matter of the inquiry. The utmost caution should be taken not to prejudice those proceedings in this regard. Members of the public are reminded that photography is prohibited in the committee room. To assist the smooth running of the inquiry, we will display certain documents on the screens here in the committee room. For those sitting in the Gallery, those ... these documents will be displayed on the screen to your left and right and members of the public and journalists are reminded that these documents are confidential and should not publish any of the documents so displayed.

The witnesses have been directed to attend this meeting of the Joint Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis. You have been furnished with booklets of core documents. These are before the committee, will be relied upon in questioning and form part of the evidence of the inquiry. So to commence proceedings if I can ask the clerk to now administer the oath.