Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses from Imagine Communications Group. Mr. Sean Bolger is the executive chairman and he is accompanied by Mr. Derek Kickham, chief operating officer.

I remind everybody to turn off their mobile phones or to switch them to airplane mode, at least, because putting them on silent can still interfere with recording systems. I thank the witnesses for attending.

We have met the Department to discuss the national broadband plan, NBP, before. We have discussed the metropolitan area networks, MANs. We are elected Members of Dáil Éireann. We do not have any technical knowledge in this area, so we have asked to meet a number of people in this industry so we can listen and learn. The witnesses are not under investigation here. They are here voluntarily and we appreciate that. It is hoped we will add to our learning during the course of the day, so that when we meet the Department again, we will have a lot more information than the first time we met its representatives.

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.