Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome members and viewers who may be watching our proceedings on Oireachtas TV. This is our third public session of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. Under the terms of reference of the joint committee, it is obliged to report to the Dáil and the Seanad within three months of its first public meeting.

Before I introduce our witnesses today, at the request of the broadcasting and recording services, members and visitors in the Public Gallery are requested to ensure that for the duration of the meeting their mobile phones are turned off completely or switched to airplane mode.

I now extend, on behalf of the committee, a warm welcome to our witnesses from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC, Ms Emily Logan, chief commissioner; Professor Siobhán Mullally, a member of the commission and; Ms Ruth Gallagher, head of policy at the commission, who is seated behind the witnesses. They are all very welcome to this afternoon's meeting.

Before we commence formal proceedings I must first begin with some formalities and advise our witnesses on the matter of privilege. I wish to advise the witnesses that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this 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, 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 now call on Ms Logan to make her presentation. She and Professor Mullally will share speaking time in their opening presentation.