Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome members and viewers who may be watching on Oireachtas TV to this afternoon's meeting of the committee. At the risk of being repetitive, at the request of the broadcasting and recording services, members and visitors are asked to ensure that for the duration of the meeting their mobile phones are turned off completely or switched to aeroplane mode. On behalf of the committee I extend a warm welcome to our witnesses from the Irish College of General Practitioners, Dr. Brendan O'Shea, director of the postgraduate resource centre, and Dr. Karena Hanley, national director of GP training. We had planned to have Ms Janice Donlon from the HSE's sexual health and crisis pregnancy programme to present to us this afternoon, but due to illness she cannot, unfortunately, be here. We hope to reschedule her attendance for next week but we will have to wait and see.

Before we commence formal proceedings I must advise our witnesses of the situation regarding privilege. 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 committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and 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 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 ruling of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I now invite Dr. O'Shea to make his presentation. We have assigned ten minutes for the submission.