Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I remind members to either turn off their mobile phones or switch them to flight mode as they interfere with the sound system.

It is proposed that the meeting will follow the following agenda in sessions A and B today. We will hear evidence on the following matters in public session: pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the Broadcasting (Amendment Bill) 2017 and retransmission fees; and scrutiny of the draft Broadcasting Act 2009 (Designation of Major Events) Order 2017. Session A is with the commercial broadcaster, TV3. The committee will hear a presentation from TV3 Ireland and this will be followed by a question and answer session with the members. Session B is with the platform providers. The committee will hear representations from the following platform providers: Sky Ireland, Virgin Media Ireland, Eir and Vodafone Ireland. The committee will also hear from CIL Management Consultants on behalf of the platform operators. This will be followed by a question and answer session with the members. It will also be followed by a five-minute sos to allow the witnesses to leave the committee room. In session C, we will go into private session. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I welcome the representatives from TV3 Ireland, Mr. Pat Kiely, managing director; Mr. Bill Malone, director of programming; and Ms Aine Ni Chaoindealbhain, director of operations. The opening statements and presentations were circulated to the committee and will be published on its website after the meeting.

I wish to draw the witnesses' attention 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 this committee. However, if they are directed by the Chairman to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a 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 they are 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. Any submissions or opening statements made to this committee will be published on the website after this meeting.

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 Mr. Kiely. He may wish to introduce his colleagues as we go through the questions and answers.