Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will now deal with Vote 22 - Courts Service and we will examine the 2015 appropriation accounts. We are joined by Mr. Brendan Ryan, CEO of the Courts Service and Mr. John Coyle, Mr. Tom Ward, Mr. Sean Quigley, Mr. Paul Burns, Ms Geraldine Hurley and Ms Marie Ryan from the Courts Service. We are also joined by Mr. John Burke from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and Ms Joyce Duffy from the Department of Justice and Equality.

I remind members, witnesses and those in the Public Gallery that all mobile phones are to be switched off completely, and that means aeroplane mode. Putting them on silent will not be adequate because they will interfere with the recording systems.

I advise the witnesses that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. The witnesses are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and are 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 of the committee are reminded of the provisions of Standing Order 186 that the committee shall refrain from inquiring into the merits of a policy or policies of the Government or a Minister of the Government or the merits or objectives of such policies. They are also reminded of the long-standing ruling of the Chair 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 suspect we will continue until approximately 2 p.m. when the division bells will ring. The witnesses might be pleased or otherwise with the short time we have available. We have a busy schedule today and we want to try to deal with this issue before the summer recess.