Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The committee is meeting to resume pre-legislative scrutiny of the electoral reform Bill 2020. We will later suspend for ten minutes to reconvene in private session to discuss correspondence. This morning, we are joined remotely by Dr. Theresa Reidy, head of the department of government and politics at UCC, and Dr. Jane Suiter, associate professor in the school of communications at DCU. Professor David Farrell, head of the school of politics and international relations at UCD also contributed to the presentation but is unable to attend due to the rescheduling of this meeting. Members have been supplied with the opening statement. I will ask our witnesses to make their opening statement and members will then be invited to address their questions.

Members attending from their Oireachtas offices or within the confines of Leinster House are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their participation in this meeting. This means they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say at the meeting. However, they are expected not to abuse this privilege and it is my duty, as Chair, to ensure that this privilege is not abused. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks and it is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

For witnesses attending remotely, there are some limitations to parliamentary privilege and as such, they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as a person who is physically present. 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 way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

Members are reminded that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

The opening statements submitted to the committee will be published on the website after this meeting. I welcome Dr. Reidy and Dr. Suiter to the meeting. They attended a meeting of the joint committee a number of years ago in connection with similar subject matter. I thank them for being here today and for their assistance with this pre-legislative scrutiny. We have a new committee with only two members from the previous one. Each member will have about five minutes to ask a question. Could the witnesses could answer within those five minutes? If members could identify themselves before they speak and confirm that they are within the confines of Leinster House, it would be very helpful for us. I invite either Dr. Reidy or Dr. Suiter to make their opening statement.