Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the committee, I welcome Ms Naomi Feely, policy officer with Barnardos; Mr. Seamus Mulconry, general secretary of the Catholic Primary School Management Association, CPSMA; Mr. Adrian Flynn, director of schools with Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board; Mr. John Curtis, general secretary of the Joint Managerial Body and Association of Management of Catholic Secondary Schools, JMB/AMCSS; Ms Áine Lynch, CEO of the National Parents Council Primary; Mr. Paul Rolston, director of the National Parents Council Post Primary; and Ms Marcella Stakem, policy officer for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. For the information of the committee, I advise that Barnardos has provided a revised opening statement this morning which is different from the one members have in their pack. While the opening statement is in order, it was received significantly after the deadline. We will accept it on this occasion but we will not allow this to happen again as it impacts on our work. In this part of the meeting, I will invite everybody to make a brief opening statement of a maximum of three minutes. The opening statements will be followed by engagement with members of the committee.

Before we begin, 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 me, as Chair, to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and 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 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.

I advise witnesses that any opening statement they make to the committee will be published on the committee website after the meeting.

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 outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

We discussed school costs in depth at last year's summer school but it is an issue we have to revisit annually because it is impacting hugely on the lives of students and families. It is important that we draw attention to it where we can. I invite Ms Feely to make her opening statement.