Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will now deal with item No. 8 on today's agenda, which is the Comptroller and Auditor General's Special Report 104, which deals with Waterford Institute of Technology in respect of the development and disposal of intellectual property in FeedHenry. The Comptroller and Auditor General is joined by Shane Carton, deputy director of audit.

We are joined from the Department of Education and Skills by William Beausang, assistant secretary; Tony Gaynor, principal officer; and Stephanie Goode, acting principal officer. From the Higher Education Authority we are joined by Paul O’Toole, chief executive officer; Mary Farrelly, head of finance and system governance; and Orla Christle, senior manager, system governance. From Waterford Institute of Technology we are joined by Professor Willie Donnelly, president; Elaine Sheridan, vice president, corporate affairs and finance; Dr. Mark White, vice president, research, innovation and graduate studies; and Dr. James O'Sullivan, technology transfer manager.

I remind members, witnesses and those in the Public Gallery that all mobile phones must be turned off, and that means putting them on airplane mode. Merely putting them on silent mode will mean they will still interfere with the recording system.

I wish to 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 this committee. If you are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and you continue to so do, you are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and you are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, you should not criticise nor make charges against any person(s) or entity, by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

While we expect witnesses to answer questions put by the committee clearly and with candour, witnesses can and should expect to be treated fairly and with respect at all times, in accordance with the witness protocol.

We will take the Comptroller and Auditor General's opening statement first.