John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Captain Evan Cullen of the Irish Airline Pilots Association. From Unite, I welcome Mr. Tom Fitzgerald, regional officer, Mr. Rob Kelly, regional organiser, and Ms Colette Godkin, secretary of the English language training branch. In a moment I will invite Captain Cullen to make his presentation and then I will invite the representatives from Unite to make their presentation. We will follow that with a number of questions from members of the committee. I ask those present to turn off their mobile phones or to put them on flight mode.

I draw the attention of witnesses to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the joint committee. However, if they are directed by the committee Chairman 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 asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person 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. I invite Captain Cullen to make his opening statement.