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

At the request of the broadcasting and recording services, members and visitors in the Public Gallery are requested to ensure that mobiles phones are switched off completely or to airplane, flight or safe mode, depending on the device, for the duration of the meeting. It is not sufficient to just put phones on silent mode as this will maintain a level of interference with the broadcasting system.

No. 5 on the agenda is the future of council housing. Today's meeting will be split into two sessions. In the first session we will consider the recently published report, 'The Future of Council Housing: An analysis of the financial sustainability of local authority provided social housing'. On behalf of the committee, I welcome the authors of the report, Professor Michelle Norris and Dr. Aideen Hayden.

I draw the attention of witnesses to the fact 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 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 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 House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

Before I call Professor Norris, I wish to formally welcome our new clerk, Mr. Pádraig Grant. As we know, Ms Fiona Cashin has gone on maternity leave and we wished her the best last week. Mr. Grant has been with us from the start also and has been here for the last two years. I want to formally congratulate him on his new role. We wish him good luck. We are delighted he is able to stay with us and be such a fundamental part of the team. I call Professor Norris to make her opening statement.