Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are meeting with Mr. Eamon Gilmore, EU special envoy for the peace process in Colombia. He is very welcome back to the committee. The members of the committee look forward to hearing his thoughts and views on the current state of the peace process.

Before we begin, I remind members, witnesses and persons in the Public Gallery to turn off their mobile phones. Members are requested to ensure that for the duration of the meeting their mobile phones are turned off completely or switched to airplane, safe or flight mode depending on the device. It is not sufficient for members to just switch off their phones or to put them on silent mode as that will maintain a level of interference with the broadcasting system.

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 joint committee. If they are directed by the Chairman to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they 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 they are asked to respect the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or body outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. I now call on Mr. Gilmore to make his opening statement.