Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are dealing with issues relating to burnt land. I welcome, from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr. Paul Dillon, assistant secretary, Mr. Paul McKiernan, principal officer and Mr. Noel Dinneny, assistant principal officer. They were here with us in January. We asked them to come back to brief the committee on further developments with the issue of burnt land. We thank them for the update on this.

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 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 or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I ask Mr. Dillon for his opening statement.