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

In today's meeting we will meet with Mr. Jim Clarken, chief executive of Oxfam Ireland, and Ms Dina El-Mamoun, head of policy and advocacy in Yemen for Oxfam International. They, and their colleagues attending in the Public Gallery, are very welcome. The members of the committee look forward to hearing their evidence on the current humanitarian situation in Yemen.

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 put their phones on silent mode as this will maintain the 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.