Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The committee is now resumed in public session. This is item 8, session B: scrutiny of EU legislative proposal COM(2017) 114 - Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics amending Regulation (EC) No. 184/2005 and repealing ten legal acts in the field of business statistics.

I welcome the director general of the Central Statistics Office, Mr. Padraig Dalton, and Ms Jennifer Banim, assistant director general, and their colleagues to the meeting at very short notice. The committee is aware of the concerns expressed by the witnesses in regard to this proposal. I look forward to hearing the details of these concerns.

I advise 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. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence relating to a particular matter and they continue to do so, 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 the proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise nor make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

Members are reminded of the longstanding 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, her or it identifiable.

I invite Mr. Dalton to make his opening remarks.