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

I welcome all of those who are watching the live stream of proceedings, everyone in the Gallery, our witnesses and members to the meeting. In particular, I welcome Mr. Tony O'Brien, director general of the Health Service Executive, and Mr. Liam Woods, national director of the acute hospitals division.

I wish to advise the witnesses 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 a person or persons or an 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 either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I thank Mr. O'Brien for his response to several questions that we submitted last week. I invite him to make his opening statement.