Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Before we begin, I remind members, witnesses and persons in the Public Gallery, including Mr. Jim Gibney, to turn off their mobile phones completely for the duration of the meeting or switch them to airplane, safe or flight mode, depending on the device. It is not sufficient for phones just to be put on silent mode, as this will maintain the level of interference with the broadcasting system.

I remind members of 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 or her identifiable.

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. If they are directed by the Chair 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 are asked to respect the 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 or her identifiable.

I welcome to our meeting Dr. Anthony Soares, acting director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies; Ms Tara Farrell, deputy CEO of Longford Women's Link; Ms Louise Coyle, director of the Northern Ireland Rural Women's Network, NIRWN; and Ms Eilidh Dickson, policy and parliamentary manager at Engender. The format of the meeting is that we will hear the witnesses' opening statements before moving into a question and answer session with members. I call Dr. Soares to begin.