John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would like to introduce the witnesses. I welcome members of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, IFAC. They are very welcome to the Committee on Budgetary Oversight. I welcome Mr. Seamus Coffey. I believe it is his first appearance before this committee in his capacity as chairman of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council. I will also take this opportunity to thank Mr. Coffey's predecessor, Professor John McHale. I also welcome to the committee IFAC members Dr. Martina Lawless, Mr. Michael Tutty and Mr. Eddie Casey who is the chief economist with IFAC and head of the secretariat. We are to discuss the fiscal assessment report. Before I begin I advise members of the committee and witnesses to turn off their mobile phones as they interfere with the sound quality and transmission of the meeting.

I bring to the delegates' attention that witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to the committee. However, if you are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and you continue to do so, you are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and you are asked to respect parliamentary practice to the effect that where possible you should not criticise or make charges against any 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 members 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. Coffey to make his opening statement.