Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome from the Irish Business and Employers Confederation, IBEC, Mr. Tony Donohoe, head of education and social policy; Ms Una Fitzpatrick, director, Technology Ireland; Ms Sinead Keogh, director, medtech and engineering; Ms Claire McGee, senior innovation and education executive; and Ms Siobhan Dean, BioPharmaChem Ireland executive. This is the second session of our meeting to discuss Ireland's skills needs.

I draw the attention of the witnesses to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to 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 or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I remind the witnesses that their presentations should be of no more than ten minutes duration. The presentations have been circulated to members. I ask Mr. Donohoe to make his presentation.