Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will now resume in public session. I welcome members and the viewers who are watching the proceedings of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. We will be holding two separate sessions this afternoon. In the first session, we will meet a representative from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service. In the second session, we will meet a representative from One Day More, the support group for parents who have received poor pre-natal prognoses. Before I introduce our witnesses, at the request of the broadcasting and recording services, members and visitors are asked to turn off their mobile phones or switch them to aeroplane mode. On behalf of the committee, I extend a warm welcome to our first witness, Dr. Patricia Lohr, medical director of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service. I must advise Dr. Lohr on the matter of privilege before we begin our proceedings proper.

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 nor 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 Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I now invite Dr. Lohr to make her presentation.