Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are meeting to engage in pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft general scheme of data-sharing and governance Bill with officials from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Justice and Equality, and Mr. Dale Sunderland, deputy commissioner, and Mr. Cathal Ryan, assistant commissioner, from the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.

I welcome Mr. Barry Lowry, Government Chief Information Officer at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Mr. Dale Sunderland, deputy commissioner at the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, and Mr. Seamus Carroll of the Department of Justice and Equality, and their colleagues.

I wish to advise the witnesses 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 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 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 or 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 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 Mr. Lowry to make his opening remarks.