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

Apologies have been received from Deputy Clare Daly. This morning, we will discuss immigration and the refugee crisis with two groups. We will begin with the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland. I welcome Ms Edel McGinley, director of the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, MRCI, who is joined by Priya, who is undocumented and a leader with Justice for the Undocumented Group, and Mr. Pablo Rojas Coppari, who is the policy and research officer with MRCI. On behalf of the committee, I thank the witnesses for their attendance here to discuss this important issue.

The joint committee has identified immigration and the refugee crisis as one of its priority issues in its 2016 work programme. The purpose of this part of the meeting is to discuss this issue. We will meet representatives of Nasc Ireland, the Irish Immigrant Support Centre, in a subsequent session.

The format of the meeting is that the delegates will be invited to make a brief opening address in whatever format they have decided, which will be followed by a question and answer session. Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to the committee. If they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, 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 are 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 are reminded 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 Ms Edel McGinley to make her opening statement.