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

The purpose of today's meeting is to undertake the pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft General Scheme of the Building Control (Construction Industry Register Ireland) Bill 2017. On behalf of the committee, I welcome to today's meeting Ms Caroline Spillane and Mr. Cormac Bradley from Engineers Ireland, Ms Carole Pollard and Ms Kathryn Meghen from the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, and Mr. Alan Baldwin and Mr. Alan Isdell from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.

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 Ms Spillane to make her opening statement.