Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Before we begin, I remind members, witnesses and attendees in the public Gallery to turn off their mobile phones please.

We now turn to our engagement on the recent reduction in service provision by Ryanair and its impact on consumers, and the issue of working hours of pilots and implications for their welfare. I welcome Ms Cathy Mannion, Commissioner for Aviation Regulation; Mr. David Hodnett, deputy commissioner for Aviation Regulation; and Ms Patricia Barton, manager, air passenger rights at the commission. I also welcome Mr. Maurice O’Connor, assistant director, flight operations department, Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, and Mr. James Courtney, manager, airline standards, IAA. We will be joined for the second half of the meeting by representatives of the Irish Air Line Pilots' Association.

Before we commence, I would like to put on the record that the committee invited the chief executive officer of Ryanair, Mr. Michael O'Leary, to attend the meeting. We had hoped to hear from him directly as to how this situation developed and how he planned to rectify it. Mr. O'Leary has declined our invitation to appear and stated that he deeply regretted the disruption caused to customers and their travel plans. It is, indeed, disappointing that Mr. O'Leary is unable to attend and I hope he will accept the invitation which is open to him to attend at some point in the near future.

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 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 a person, persons 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 invite Mr. O'Connor-----