Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I remind members to ensure that their mobile phones are switched off. We are delighted to welcome today's panel of speakers. On behalf of the committee, I welcome all of those who have come today: Ms Anne Graham, chief executive of the National Transport Authority; Mr. Barry Kenny, from Irish Rail, and all the way from Washington DC, Mr. Sean Kennedy, senior vice president of Airlines for America, which represents a range of airlines, both freight and passenger across the US. They are all very welcome. We have conducted a number of meetings to date and we will have many more across a range of sectors.

This morning we will focus mainly on transport issues and the impact Brexit will have on the transport sector. What we say to everyone who appears before the committee is that we are keen to hear practical, imaginative solutions that we can put into place and include in the final report, which is coming down the tracks ever so quickly, and I am starting to get a little nervous that someone will want me to be involved in writing it.

Before I invite the witnesses to speak, I must read a short note on privilege and I ask them to bear with me for a few moments. 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 them 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 this committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and they continue to so do, 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 these 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.

As those present are aware, we will have to suspend this session on time today due to the address by former Commissioner Barnier to the Joint Houses of the Oireachtas. This is a momentous day in the entire Brexit process so it is an appropriate one on which to have such an important session starting off the day. I have decided to take the three witnesses in the alphabetical order of the organisations they represent so I will go first to Airlines for America. I invite Mr. Kennedy to make his opening remarks.