Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Dia dhaoibh, a dhaoine uaisle. Tá brón orm. Tá mo Ghaeilge uafásach. Mar sin, beidh mé ag labhairt as Béarla agus beidh mé ag éisteacht as Béarla. Más maith leis na finnéithe labhairt as Gaeilge, ar aghaidh leo. On behalf of the committee, I welcome the delegates to our last session today, including Mr. Ó Coinn. We heard from the representatives of a couple of other all-island bodies earlier and I will repeat what I said to them. It is important for us for two reasons to hear from as many of the all-island bodies as possible. As a committee, we would like to hear about the challenges and possible solutions to problems within their areas of responsibility. We are also interested in what they might see as the impact on their organisations. I thank them for joining us and we look forward to hearing their contributions.

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 this committee. If they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, 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 that 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.

Anois, a dhaoine uaisle, ar aghaidh libh.