Chairman:

I welcome the witnesses from Macra Na Feirme, particularly Mr. Seán Finan, president of Macra na Feirme; Mr. James Barber, agricultural affairs committee chairperson; Mr. Thomas Duffy, agricultural affairs committee vice-chairperson; Mr. Derry Dillon, acting CEO; and Mr. Paul Smith, agricultural policy officer. I thank them for appearing before the committee to engage with us and discuss matters relating to budget 2017.

Before we begin, I must go through the privilege issue, if the witnesses could bear with me for a minute. By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give this committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a 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 nor make charges against any person(s) or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

Before I ask Mr. Finan to make his opening statement, I ask him to confine this statement to 12 minutes, as with the other groups.