Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I remind members, visitors and those in the Public Gallery to please ensure their mobile phones are switched off or are in flight mode for the duration of the meeting as they interfere with the broadcasting equipment, even when on silent mode.

We have some new members on our committee. I would like to welcome Deputy Billy Kelleher. Deputy Lisa Chambers was also added to our committee as of yesterday and she might join us later. I thank Deputies Niall Collins and Stephen Donnelly who were very strong contributors to this committee and were of great help in all the work we have been doing. We appreciate all they have done for us.For the information of our guests, with committees resuming, unfortunately there has been a slight clash of committees today and some members are tied in having two committees meeting today at the same time.

No. 7 on our agenda is a discussion on the cost of doing business. I welcome the following members of the Alliance for Insurance Reform; Mr. Eoin McCambridge, managing director of McCambridge's of Galway, Ms Stephanie Reid, owner of Monkey Business play centre, Mr. Ivan Cooper, director of public policy at the The Wheel, and Mr. Peter Boland, director of the Alliance for Insurance Reform. I welcome all our guests to our discussion on the cost of doing business.

In accordance with procedure, I am required to read the following: By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the joint committee. If, however, they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter to only 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 or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

Members are reminded of a long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House, or any official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I remind our guests that each of their presentations should be of no more than five minutes duration. Members have been circulated with the presentations submitted by today's attendees. I ask Mr. Boland to begin his presentation to the committee.