Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I remind people to turn off their mobile telephones or to put them on airplane mode. I would like to welcome those watching the live streaming of this meeting. I would especially like to welcome Dr. Josep Figueras to our meeting. He will provide us with a briefing on international health care systems. Dr. Figueras is the director of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Polices and is also head of the World Health Organization Centre for Health Policy in Brussels.

He has served as a health policy adviser in more than 40 countries. Dr. Figueras has edited numerous studies on health systems, including a 2012 study assessing the case for investing in health systems and an important 2015 WHO study on the impact of the financial crisis on European health systems. I thank Dr. Figueras for taking the time to come over and join us at our meeting. We are extremely interested to hear his views on the Irish health system and how it compares with European health care systems generally.

At the outset, I have to go through a formality. I wish to advise the witness 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. 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.

Members 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 House or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I warmly welcome Dr. Figueras and invite him to make his submission.