Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Professor Mark Ferguson, director general of Science Foundation Ireland and chief scientific adviser to the Government, and Mr. Tom Molloy, director of public affairs and communication at Trinity College Dublin. I will invite Professor Ferguson to address us first.

Before he does so, I wish to remind Members 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 the 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 or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I call on Professor Ferguson to make his opening remarks.