Chairman:

I welcome Professor Joyce O'Connor, former chairperson of the expert group on mental health policy; Dr. John O'Brien, vice president of the Irish College of General Practitioners; Dr. Brendan O'Shea, director of the postgraduate resource centre at the Irish College of General Practitioners; and Dr. Brian Osborne, assistant director of the mental health programme at the Irish College of General Practitioners. On behalf of the committee I thank witnesses for their attendance today. They will be invited to make a brief opening statement and this will be followed by a question and answer session.

Before beginning I draw attention to privilege. Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by it 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 are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members should be aware that under the salient rulings of the Chair, 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 remind members and witnesses to turn off their mobile phones or switch them to flight mode as mobile phones interfere with the sound system and make it difficult for parliamentary reporters to report the meeting. Television coverage and web streaming would also be affected.

Any submission or opening statement made to the committee will be published on the committee website after this meeting. I invite Professor O'Connor to make her opening statement.