Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Deputies Ciara Conway, Peter Fitzpatrick, Eamonn Maloney and Senator Imelda Henry. Deputy Dan Neville has had to leave the meeting. Regarding mobile telephones, I remind people that it would be appreciated if they were switched off or put in aeroplane mode.

Our first session is with the representatives of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland. I welcome Dr. Maura Pidgeon, the chief executive officer and Ms Ursula Byrne, who is the deputy chief executive and acting director of regulation of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.

Our meeting arises from delays in the registration of nurses and midwives, which is having a knock-on effect in the delivery of essential health care services. A number of committee members have had meetings with different sectors of the health services regarding the issue. The committee has been monitoring the issue closely. I wish to apologise to the witnesses for the delay but the private business of the committee took longer than normal. I thank them for coming before us this morning at short notice to discuss the delay in registration of nurses and midwives.

I wish to advise 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 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 comment on, criticise or make charges against any person or an 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 Houses or any official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

With that, I thank Dr. Pidgeon and Ms Byrne for coming before us and I invite Dr. Pidgeon to make her opening remarks.