Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Senator Gerard P. Craughwell who has nominated Senator Billy Lawless to act as a substitute for him.

I ask all Senators and visitors to turn off their mobile phones or leave them in airplane mode. In silent mode they will still interfere with the and recording and broadcasting equipment.

I welcome members and visitors to the second meeting of the Seanad Special Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. On behalf of the committee, I extend a particularly warm welcome to Bertie Ahern who served as Taoiseach between 1997 and 2008. In the context of this engagement, he served as Taoiseach during the negotiating and signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 and the St. Andrew's Agreement in 2006. He was also Taoiseach during the Irish Presidency of the European Union in 2004 which marked a significant expansion of the Union when a further ten countries became member states. Since the UK referendum result in June last year, there has been significant commentary on the future stability of the peace process, the future of the common travel area and the potential impact on the all-island economy and trade between Ireland and the United Kingdom. Noting Mr. Ahern's extensive experience, the committee looks forward to a detailed and constructive engagement with him and hopes to explore the solutions, as well as the challenges, with him in some detail.

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.

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, however, 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 an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I invite Mr. Ahern to make his opening remarks.