Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Conor O'Kelly, chief executive officer, National Treasury Management Agency; Mr. Ciaran Breen, director of the State Claims Agency; Mr. Ian Black, chief financial and operating officer of the National Treasury Management Agency; and Mr. Eoin Dorgan from the Department of Finance.

By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to the committee. If they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and 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 asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not 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 of the committee 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 an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I invite the Comptroller and Auditor General to make an opening statement.