Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will proceed with the agenda proper, which is consideration of the proposed changes to the supply of veterinary medicines. We are joined remotely by two sets of witnesses. We will first hear from representatives from the Irish Pharmacy Union, IPU, Mr. Daragh Quinn and Mr. D.J. Barry. We will then hear from Mr. Ian Scott of Scott Consulting UK Limited, who is the consultant for the Independent Licensed Merchants Association, ILMA, and Mr. Terence O'Shea of the ILMA. Our guests are most welcome.

To maximise our use of time, I will call the witnesses to make brief opening statements and I will then open the discussion to members. When the consideration is concluded, I will call on the Department officials in attendance to join us. In this regard, I remind members that the Department has already provided the briefing materials requested. I formally acknowledge this and I will welcome those officials when they join the meeting.

Witnesses who are physically present or who give evidence from within the Parliament precincts are protected pursuant to the constitutional statute by absolute privilege, but witnesses and participants who are to give evidence from a location outside the Parliament precincts are asked to note that they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as a witness giving evidence from within the Parliament precincts. No clear guidance can be given on whether, or to the extent to which, the evidence given is covered by absolute privilege of a statutory nature. Persons giving evidence from another jurisdiction should also be mindful of their domestic statutory regime. If our guests are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter, they must respect that direction. Witnesses are also asked that only evidence connected with the subject matter of the proceedings should be given and they should respect both the directions given by the Chair and the parliamentary practice that, where possible, they should neither criticise nor make charges against a person or an official by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable or otherwise engage in a speech that might be regarded as damaging to the person or to the entity's good name. I invite Mr. Quinn to make his opening statement.