Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests to the meeting. They will all present remotely by video link and provide us with an update on contact tracing for Covid-19. I welcome from the HSE, Ms Niamh O'Beirne, national lead for testing and tracing, Dr. Kevin Kelleher, assistant national director of public health and child health, and Mr. Damien McCallion, national director of emergency management and director general of co-operation and working together, CAWT.

Before we hear our guests' opening statement, I point out there is uncertainty as to whether parliamentary privilege will apply to witnesses giving evidence from a location outside the parliamentary precincts of Leinster House. The constitutional protection afforded to witnesses presenting in person in Leinster House may not extend to those presenting remotely. No clear guidance can be given on whether, or the extent to which, the evidence given is covered by a statutory nature. Therefore, if witnesses are directed by the Chair to cease giving evidence on a particular matter, they should respect that direction.

I invite Ms O'Beirne to make her opening statement.