David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests in committee room 1. They are: Ms Teresa Griffin, CEO, Ms Madeline Hickey, acting head of special education, and Ms Mary McGrath, head of operations, National Council for Special Education. We are joined, from the Department of Education and Skills, by Mr. Dalton Tattan, Assistant Secretary, inclusion division, Mr. Eddie Ward, principal officer, special education section, Mr. Brendan Doody, assistant chief inspector, and Ms Anne Tansey, director, National Educational Psychological Service.

I wish to advise our guests 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 this committee. If witnesses are directed by the committee 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 manner as to make him, her or it identifiable. We expect witnesses to answer questions clearly and with candour. However, witnesses can and should expect to be treated fairly and with respect and consideration at all times in accordance with the witness protocol.

I ask Ms Griffin to make her opening remarks and confine them to five minutes because we are tight for time.