Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will now proceed to item No. 10 which is a discussion on the Financial Services Ombudsman's Bureau strategic plan for 2017 and tracker mortgage issues with Mr. Ger Deering, the Financial Services Ombudsman, and Ms Elaine Cassidy, the deputy Financial Services Ombudsman. They are both very welcome to our meeting. Before we hear from our witnesses I have to read out a note on privilege.

I advise the witnesses that, by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this 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 qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. Witnesses are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given. They are 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 entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I invite Mr. Deering to make his opening remarks. We will then proceed to questions from the members.