Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everybody to this morning's meeting. Some members have been detained with other business and are due to arrive shortly. We already have three members present. I extend a very warm welcome to Ms Sarah O'Toole, Mr. Lars Bosselmann and Dr. Mary Keogh of Christian Blind Missions, CBM, Ireland. I congratulate CBM Ireland on its work in protecting the human rights of people with disabilities around the world and its advocacy on their behalf. It is important that we have the witnesses before us to tell their story because it is a very good news story. Today's meeting is timely in so far as the recently adopted sustainable development goals, SDGs, include references to people with disabilities. There are explicit references to them in the goals and we look forward to hearing more about the issue in this afternoon's presentation. The format of today's meeting will involve an opening statement followed by a question-and-answer session. I was delighted to hear that members of CBM Ireland from as far away as Australia saw our press release yesterday. It is good to see that we are being listened to far away as well.

I remind members and those in the pubic Gallery to switch off their mobile phones. They must ensure they are completely switched off for the duration of the meeting as they do cause interference even in silent mode with the recording equipment in the committee room.

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 or body outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. 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 witnesses are directed by the Chairman to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. Witnesses 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 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. Without further ado, I call on Ms O'Toole to make her opening statement.