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

Before hearing from the witness, I wish to advise the witness 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 do so, you're entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of your evidence and you're directed that only evidence connected to 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 mater of the inquiry. The utmost caution should be taken therefore then not to prejudice those proceedings. 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, these documents will be displayed on the screens to your left and right and members of the public and journalists are reminded that these documents are confidential and they should not publish any of the documents so displayed. The witness has 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 and will be relied upon in questioning and form part of the evidence of the inquiry. So with that said, if I could now ask the clerk to administer the oath to Mr. Murphy please.