John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Commissioner Dombrovskis, Vice-President for the euro and social dialogue. He is also responsible for financial stability, financial services and the capital markets union. I welcome his colleagues from the European Commission.

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 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. I invite the Commissioner to make his opening statement.