Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I remind everyone to ensure their mobile telephones are switched off. It is not enough to put them on silent because they can interfere with the sound equipment. I welcome the witnesses to the meeting and I ask them to keep their opening remarks to five minutes or less. We are joined by Mr. Colin Brown, European Commission; Dr. Tom Healy, director, Nevin Economic Research Institute; Mr. Mark O'Mahoney, director of policy and communications, Chambers Ireland; and Ms Patricia King, general secretary ICTU.

Before we begin I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not make charges, criticise or comment on a person outside the House 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 the evidence they give to the committee. 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 the evidence they give. 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 they should not criticise or make charges against an entity or individual either by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I invite Mr. Brown to make his opening statement.