Maria Bailey (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for the delay in starting the meeting. We needed to have Members of both Houses in attendance. At the request of the broadcasting and recording services, members, witnesses and visitors in the Gallery are requested to ensure that for the duration of the meeting, their mobile phones are turned off completely or switched to aeroplane, safe or flight mode, depending on the device. It is not sufficient to put one's phone on silent mode because this will maintain a level of interference with the broadcasting system. Apologies have been received from Deputy O'Dowd, who is attending the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly conference, and from Senator Boyhan.

The first item on the agenda is pre-legislative scrutiny of the residential tenancies (amendment) Bill 2018. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Ms Caitríona Walsh, Ms Rosalind Carroll, Ms Kathryn Ward and Ms Caren Gallagher of the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB. The purpose of this meeting is to engage with representatives of the RTB on the general scheme of the residential tenancies (amendment) Bill 2018. As previously agreed by members, we will not hear an opening statement from the witnesses as a submission from the RTB has been read by members in advance of this meeting. Instead, we will go straight to questions from members.

Before we begin, I wish to draw the attention of witnesses to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to the 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. 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. 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.