Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We resume public session. We spoke in the first part of the meeting with representatives of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to our consideration of the Comptroller and Auditor General's Special Report No. 91 on the management of severance payments in public sector bodies. The report notes that the Central Bank had more frequent recourse to termination agreements and severance payments during the report's review period than any other public body examined. We have therefore invited representatives of the Central Bank to discuss this matter with the committee today. We are joined by Mr. Gerry Quinn, chief operations officer, and Ms Liz Joyce, director of human resources.

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 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. Quinn to make an opening statement.