Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Senators Black, Craughwell, Mark Daly, McDowell, Mulherin and O'Reilly. The majority of the Senators have been substituted. I remind Members to turn off their mobile phones or switch them to airplane mode.

I am very happy to welcome everyone to our final public session of this committee. I am delighted to welcome our final witness, Lord Alderdice, to speak on a range of topics. We have covered everything from transport to agriculture, economics, the future of Europe, Northern Ireland, the common travel area, citizenship and so much more. I never thought I would have such an in-depth knowledge of dairy farming on the Border region. Many of my friends never thought I would know so much on a Saturday night when I start talking about the real issues, but I have been very much enlightened in the past number of weeks. We have all been enlightened and we have engaged in some very good discussions.

We are delighted to have Lord Alderdice here to finish this bit of work. The report will be laid before the Seanad tomorrow week. A great deal of effort has gone into it. As a committee, we will meet twice more in private session. However, this is the last hurrah, but before I invite Lord Alderdice to speak, I will read the standard note on privilege, if he will bear with me. 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. However, if they are directed by the committee 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 nor make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. I open the floor to Lord Alderdice.