Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Does anybody oppose that? No. That is a good idea.

We have the physical capability to take witnesses from committee room 1. Committee members would sit in the Dáil Chamber whereas the witnesses would be in committee room 1. I am aware of the risk that people might have to go into self-isolation. I consulted with as many committee members as I could this morning, although I did not have a mobile number for one or two of them. I am minded to allow the witnesses to sit in committee room 1 and committee members will ask them questions by video link. That would minimise their exposure. We are a relatively small group but there are 19 committee members here, plus staff from the secretariat. That is a relatively large group of people to be consistently in the company of for up to a two-hour period. If committee members agree with that, we will take witnesses by video link from committee room 1. If there are objections, we can go into private session and discuss the matter.