Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I remind witnesses and members to turn off their mobile phones or put them on airplane mode, as they can affect the recording of the meeting.

We are meeting officials from the Department of Health and representatives from the HSE, the national cancer control programme and CervicalCheck in order to discuss the controversial issues surrounding the CervicalCheck programme. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Dr. Tony Holohan, chief medical officer at the Department of Health, Dr. Kathleen MacLellan, director of the National Patient Safety Office at the Department, and Ms Tracey Conroy, assistant secretary of the Department's acute care division. From the HSE, I welcome Mr. Tony O'Brien, director general; Dr. Colm Henry, chief clinical officer; Dr. Jerome Coffey, national director of the national cancer control programme and screening service; Dr. Peter McKenna, clinical director of the national women and infants programme; Ms Angela Fitzgerald, deputy national director of acute services; Mr. John Gleeson, programme manager of CervicalCheck; and Mr. Patrick Lynch, national director of quality assurance and verification and chair of the serious incident management team. I thank everyone for attending.

I wish to draw witnesses' attention to the fact that, 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 committee. However, if they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a 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, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Any opening statement they make to the committee may be published on the committee's website after this meeting.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice 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 invite Dr. Holohan to make his opening statement.