Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Philip Carroll, chairman, Mr. Cormac Healy, senior director, and Mr. Joe Ryan, director, Meat Industry Ireland, who are seated in committee room 1. I thank them for coming here on a Friday afternoon.

I wish to advise the witnesses 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. 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 or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I invite Mr. Carroll to make his opening remarks and ask him to confine them to five minutes to allow as much time as possible for questions and answers.