Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everyone to session B on the rising cost of motor insurance. We are joined by Mr. Ken Murphy and Mr. Stuart Gilhooly of the Law Society of Ireland and Mr. Paul McGarry SC and Ms Sara Moorhead of the Bar Council. I welcome them as well as the members and other visitors who are attending.

The format of the meeting will be that the witnesses will make opening statements which will be followed by a questions and answers session with the members. Generally, we aim to have a fairly fluid interaction between the members and the witnesses who are participating.

I am required to read out a privilege notice. I wish to advise the witnesses 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 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.

I invite Mr. Murphy and Mr. McGarry to make their opening statements.