Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Before I make introductions, I ask members and visitors to please switch off their mobile phones. They interfere with the recording equipment in the committee room.

The purpose of today's meeting is to continue a series of engagements on the issue of online harassment and harmful communications. We are joined by the head of public policy at Facebook Ireland, Mr. Dualta Ó Broin, and the lead counsel for content and regulatory matters, Ms Claire Rush. They are very welcome.

The representatives of Twitter Ireland are Ms Karen White, its director of public policy, Europe, and the manager of public policy, Europe, Mr. Ronan Costello. They are both very welcome. Representing Google Ireland is Mr. Ryan Meade, its head of government affairs and public policy, while representing the Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland is Ms Ana Niculescu, its chief executive. They are very welcome.

I will shortly invite the witnesses to make their opening statements. I propose to invite them to do so in the order in which I introduced them. There is no hierarchy; it is just the order on the list. Before I do so, I draw their attention to the issue of privilege.

Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to so do, 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 the 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. Members of the committee are reminded that under the salient rulings of the Chair, 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.

I invite Mr. Ó Broin to make his opening statement on behalf of Facebook Ireland.