Maria Bailey (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In today's meeting we are engaging with the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, on the outcome of the housing summit and the review of Rebuilding Ireland currently being undertaken. I welcome the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Murphy, and his officials to the meeting. Today's meeting format will see each member given six minutes each to engage with the Minister and after the six minutes, we will move to the next member. That will be three minutes to ask questions and three minutes for the Minister to reply. I ask members to respect these time limits so each member has the opportunity to speak. I will call members again if there is time at the end. We are hoping to finish by 11.30 a.m. so we should get a couple of rounds in if members adhere to the limits.

Before beginning I draw the attention of witnesses to the fact that 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. 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 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 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 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 call on the Minister to make his opening statement.