Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank members and witnesses for participating in today’s meeting in line with the exceptional measures we must take due to Covid-19. I remind them that apart from myself and members of the committee secretariat, all members and witnesses are required to participate remotely, and all members are required to attend from within the Leinster House complex. Apologies have been received from Deputy Stanton and Senator Gavin.

I am pleased to be able to continue our pre-legislative scrutiny of the competition (amendment) Bill 2021. The principal objective of the Bill is to transpose the EU’s European Competition Network, ECN, directive that will make the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPG, and the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, more effective in overseeing and enforcing competition law. The directive was adopted in 2019 with a transposition deadline of 4 February 2021. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Varadkar, recently sent the general scheme of the Bill to the committee asking that we prioritise our consideration of this matter. Having received a briefing on the matter from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, I am pleased that we will develop our understanding of the Bill when we hear from witnesses of the CCPG and ComReg in relation to the proposed legislation. These bodies will be the two most affected by the directive and proposed Bill.

From the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, I welcome Ms Isolde Goggin, chairperson, Mr. Brian McHugh and members of the commission, and from the Commission for Communications Regulation, Mr. Garrett Blaney, chairperson, and Mr. Jeremy Godfrey, commissioner.

Before we start, I will explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses as regards references witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. The evidence of witnesses physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected pursuant to both the Constitution and statute by absolute privilege. However, today’s witnesses are giving their evidence remotely from a place outside the parliamentary precincts. As such, they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal prosecution from proceedings as a witness physically present does.

Witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him or her or it identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that may be regarded as damaging to the good name of that person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such decision.

Witnesses’ opening statements have been circulated to members. To commence our consideration of this matter, I invite the chairperson of the CCPC, Ms Goggin, to make her contribution. I remind witnesses and members that when contributing remotely, they should clarify their name for recording purposes.