Maria Bailey (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will engage in detailed scrutiny of the Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Presidential Voting) Bill 2014 which is a Private Members' Bill. I remind members that we will have two sessions today, to the first of which I welcome Deputies Gerry Adams and Seán Crowe who produced the Bill to extend the right to vote in and lower the eligibility age for presidential elections. The Bill was referred to this committee for consideration.

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. However, if 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.

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 again welcome Deputy Gerry Adams and ask him to make his opening statement.