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

As we have a quorum, we will commence. We received apologies from Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile. I do not know if there are any other apologies that members would like to offer.

Before introducing our guest, I take this opportunity to welcome the members back to the committee post the Christmas recess and to extend very best wishes to each of them for 2017. Hopefully, as a committee, we have a busy and successful year.

The purpose of this part of the meeting is to have an engagement with Mr. Philip O'Leary, chairperson designate of the Legal Aid Board. On behalf of the committee, I thank Mr. O'Leary for attending and I extend a warm welcome to him. The format of the meeting is that Mr. O'Leary will be invited to make a brief opening statement and this will be followed by a question-and-answer session with members.

Before I begin, I must draw the attention of the witness to the position on privilege. 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 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 asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or persons 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 Mr. O'Leary to make his opening statement.