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

We will resume in public session. Is that agreed? Okay, and we now commence with the second session of today of public hearings with Mr. Gary McGann, former non-executive director at Anglo Irish Bank. The Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis is now resuming in public session and can I ask members and those in the public Gallery to ensure that their mobile devices are switched off? This morning, the focus of the inquiry is on Anglo Irish Bank. At this session, we will hear from Mr. Gary McGann, former non-executive director at Anglo. Mr. Gary McGann was a non-executive director of Anglo from 2004 to 2009. He is the former group chief executive officer of the Smurfit Kappa Group. Previously, he was group CEO of Aer Lingus and CEO of Gilbeys of Ireland. Currently, he is chairman of Aon Ireland and Paddy Power plc. Mr. McGann, you are very welcome before the committee today.

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 terms of the ... in respect of the evidence to this committee. If you are directed by the Chairman to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and you continue to do so, you are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You are 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 this inquiry. Therefore, the utmost caution should be taken 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.

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 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 with that said, if I can now ask the clerk to administer the oath to Mr. McGann, please.