Chairman:

I welcome to the meeting from Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, Mr. Pablo Rojas Coppari - I have difficult names to pronounce today – who is the policy research officer. From BeLonG To, I welcome Ms Moinne Griffith, executive director, and Mr. Dylan Donohue. From Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre I welcome Mr. Patrick Reilly and Ms Brigid Quirke. On behalf of the committee I thank you for your attendance today. You will be invited to make brief opening statements and they will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

I wish to draw the attention of witnesses to the situation relating to privilege. Please note that you are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence you are to give to the committee. However, if you are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and you continue to so do, you are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and you are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, you should not criticise or make charges against any persons or 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 House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

Any submission or opening statement that witnesses make to the committee will be published on the committee website after this meeting.

I will invite each group to make an opening statement. We will start with Mr. Pablo Rojas Coppari.