Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 14 November 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence

Business and Human Rights: Discussion

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are joined by Ms Siobhan Curran, policy and advocacy adviser with Trócaire, Mr. Ed O'Donovan, head of protection, Front Line Defenders, and Ms Mary Lawlor, adjunct professor, school of business in Trinity College Dublin, TCD, and founder of Front Line Defenders, to discuss business and human rights. The witnesses are welcome. This matter was identified by the committee as a priority for consideration and we are delighted to have such experts in the field to share their views with the committee. The format of the meeting is that we will hear the opening statements before having a question and answer session with the members of the committee.

Before proceeding with the business of the meeting, I remind members and people in the Public Gallery that their mobile telephones should be switched off or put on airplane mode for the duration of the meeting as they cause interference, even if on silent mode, with the recording equipment in committee rooms.

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 joint committee. However, if they are directed by it 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, her or it identifiable.

I invite Ms Curran to make her opening statement. She will be followed by Mr. O'Donovan and Ms Lawlor.

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