Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The committee will now resume in public session. This is the second of our two meetings this morning on the issue of the recognition of Traveller ethnicity. The next part of our discussion is with the representatives of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. I welcome Ms Emily Logan, Chief Commissioner, and Mr. David Joyce, a member of the commission, to the meeting. On behalf of the committee, I thank them both for their attendance. The joint committee has identified the issue of the recognition of Traveller ethnicity as one of the priority issues in its 2016 work programme. We are very cognisant of the value of the previous committee's addressing of this particular subject. Our efforts are intended to complement and build on that work not to replicate it or in any way set it aside. It is a process. We hope this exercise, not only today but in our subsequent engagements over the next couple of weeks, will make a valued contribution to the issue.

The format of the meeting is that the commission's representatives will be invited to make a brief opening statement and this will be followed by a question-and-answer engagement with members. Before we begin, I draw the attention of the witnesses to the situation in respect of privilege. Witnesses should note that they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to the committee. If, however, they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, 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 should be aware that, under the salient rulings of the Chair, they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I invite the Chief Commissioner to make her opening statement.