Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Deputy Catherine Murphy and Senator Ned O'Sullivan. This meeting has been convened to consider matters relating to the consultation paper on the establishment of an electoral commission in Ireland. We will now discuss this subject. It is proposed that this part of our meeting will conclude at 4.30 p.m., unless previously concluded, and that at the conclusion of public business, we will go into private session to discuss other committee business. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I welcome the following witnesses to the meeting: Ms Helen Dixon, Data Protection Commissioner; Mr. Tim Duggan, assistant secretary, and Ms Michelle O'Donnell, assistant principal, client identity services, at the Department of Social Protection; Dr. Adrian Kavanagh, lecturer in geography, NUI Maynooth; Mr. Seán Donnelly, political analyst; and Mr. Liam Kenny, director of the Association of Irish Local Government. I invite Mr. Kenny introduce his four colleagues.