Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We welcome Mr. Sam Taylor, director of Doctors Without Borders-Médecins Sans Frontières in Ireland and Ms Hassiba Hadj-Sahraoui, humanitarian affairs adviser on migration, who joins us from Geneva, to discuss search and rescue in the Mediterranean and the migration crisis in general. As the number of migrants continues to increase and with the recent proposals made at the European Council only last week, it is timely that this committee discusses this issue and hears first-hand witness testimony of what is happening in the Mediterranean and in Libya. I am glad representatives from the witnesses' organisation have come in to discuss this hugely important issue with us.

Before we begin, I remind members, witnesses and those in the Public Gallery to ensure that their mobile phones are switched off completely for the duration of the meeting as they cause interference, even on silent mode, with the recording equipment in the committee room. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that members should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or body outside the Houses, or an official either by name, or in such a way as to make him or her or it identifiable.

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 they are directed by the Chairman to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, 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 they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice that, where possible, they should not criticise nor make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I call on our witnesses to make their opening statements.