Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Before we begin can I remind everybody in the room to please turn off their mobile phones as they interfere with the broadcasting equipment. We now turn to consider the situation at Bus Éireann and the issues of the rural transport programme and the free travel pass scheme.

I welcome everybody to the meeting today. This is the fourth meeting in a series of meetings we have convened to discuss the situation at Bus Éireann. We previously heard from the acting CEO, Mr. Ray Hernon, we have had the Government perspective from the Minister, Deputy Ross and more recently we have heard from the unions. Today we have the NTA and officials from the Department of Social Protection. In this regard I am delighted to welcome to the meeting Ms Anne Graham, chief executive officer of the NTA, Mr. Tim Gaston, director of public transport services with the NTA and from the Department of Social Protection, Mr. Tim Duggan, assistant secretary, Ms Miriam Finnegan, principal officer and Mr. Darragh Doherty and Mr. Peter O'Reilly, assistant principal officers. I hope I have not left anybody out.

At the outset, we as a committee are very disappointed at the breakdown in talks at the Workplace Relations Commission yesterday. As I have said, we have spent the last month or so examining this issue and again, as a committee, we want to urge all parties, including the Minister, to engage and to resume negotiations, even at this stage, to avoid any possible disruption that may occur.

A national bus service is crucial to many people's lives and this committee is acutely conscious of 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 joint committee. However, if 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 are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that 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 Graham to make her opening statement.