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

As we are now in public session again I remind members and witnesses to ensure their mobile phones are turned off. We are here today for further scrutiny of EU legislative proposal COM (2018) 173.

From the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine I welcome Ms Sinéad McPhillips, assistant Secretary General; Ms Gráinne Mulligan, principal officer; and Mr. Niall McKeon, assistant principal officer in the food industry development division. I thank them for coming before the committee to brief members on COM (2018) 173, proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council on unfair trading practices in business to business relationships in the food supply chain.

Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give this committee. 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 a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. Witnesses 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 persons by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I remind members of the longstanding parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I now invite Ms McPhillips to make her opening statement.