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

Our business today is No. 10 on our agenda, engagement with stakeholders on the eligibility, application procedure and appeals process of the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, grant. On behalf of the committee, I welcome the three stakeholders. We are joined by Ms Lorna Fitzpatrick, president of the Union of Students in Ireland, USI. She is very welcome to her first meeting with the Joint Committee on Education and Skills and I wish her the best of luck in the term she has ahead. I welcome Ms Ciara Fanning, who is president of the Irish Second–Level Students Union. We always make a point of engaging with students and student representative bodies. I wish her well in her year ahead too. I also welcome Mr. Philip Connolly, who is the grants processing manager for Student Universal Support Ireland. I will invite all three witnesses to make a brief opening statement, of a maximum of three minutes each. That will be followed by engagement with members of the committee.

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 they 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 they are 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.