Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland. I will shortly invite him to give his opening statement to be followed by questions from members of the committee. I ask people to turn off their mobile phones.

I remind members of a long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that Members should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or a body outside the House, or any official by name in such a way as to make him, 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 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. 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 persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.