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

We will now deal with the adoption (information and tracing) Bill 2015. The Bill has been sent to us for pre-legislative scrutiny and we will now meet the representative of the Department and Children and Youth Affairs. I welcome Ms Noreen Leahy, principal officer in the adoption policy unit, and Ms Anne Marie Kilkenny, assistant principal officer.

This is the opening session of the committee's work on the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill. It is an opportunity for us to hear from and invite those interested in the issue and for them to have their say on this important, sensitive and long overdue legislation. We all welcome the publication of the heads of the Bill. Over the next number of weeks the committee will hold further hearings to consider the draft legislation and will meet a variety of stakeholders with different views. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy James Reilly, will come before the committee in the third session, on 22 October, and will respond in detail on the issues that have been raised during our hearings and discussion. I hope our scrutiny will be of use and benefit to the Department and also to those interested in this important and complex legislation.

I draw the attention of witnesses to the fact 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 a 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 they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not comment, criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.