Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

For the benefit of people following the proceedings of the committee we will hold over, for the moment and maybe until the afternoon, dealing with the minutes from the previous meetings, correspondence, reports and the work programme. We will move directly to the HIQA financial statement 2016 at this stage. We thank the witnesses for waiting. We had unscheduled business to deal with first and we thank the witnesses for remaining with us.

This morning we will examine the 2016 financial statement for the Health Information and Quality Authority. I would like to welcome from HIQA, Mr. Phelim Quinn, chief executive officer, Ms Mary Dunnion, director of regulation and chief inspector of social services and Mr. Sean Angland, acting chief operating officer. I welcome from the Department of Health, Dr. Kathleen MacLellan and Mr. David Keating. I remind members, witnesses and those in the Gallery to turn off their mobile phones completely or to put them on airplane mode. If I missed somebody, my apologies.

I advise witnesses 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. 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, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I call the Comptroller and Auditor General to make an opening statement on this matter.