Chairman:

I welcome members of the committee and viewers who are watching the proceedings of the meeting on Oireachtas TV today. This is the first public session of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Action.

Members, witnesses and people in the Public Gallery should please switch off their mobile phones or put them in flight mode as they interfere with the broadcast. On behalf of the committee, I extend a warm welcome to Ms Justice Mary Laffoy, chairperson of the Citizens' Assembly, and Ms Gráinne Hynes, deputy secretary of the assembly. The Citizens' Assembly has completed its work and this is the second report of the assembly that has been referred to an Oireachtas committee. I know that members would want me to thank Ms Justice Laffoy and the secretariat of the Citizens' Assembly for the work they have done at the behest of the Houses of the Oireachtas on the five topics that were referred to it to consider.

I advise the witnesses 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 the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and 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 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 ruling of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I now call on Ms Justice Laffoy to make her opening statement.