Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome members and witnesses to our meeting on pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020. We are joined remotely by Mr. John Coleman, CEO, Ms Rose Kenny, head of operations, and Mr. Phelim O'Neill, head of property, all of whom are from the Land Development Agency. The opening statement has been circulated to members. I will first ask the witnesses for their opening statement and members will then be invited to address their questions to them. Please keep questioning to five minutes, to include questions and answers.

Members attending remotely within the Leinster House complex are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the presentations they make to the committee. Members are reminded of the constitutional requirement that members must be physically present within the confines of the place of Parliament where they have chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House or the Convention Centre Dublin, in order to participate in public meetings.

For witnesses attending remotely, there are some limitations to the parliamentary privilege and, as such, they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as a person does 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.

The opening statement submitted to the committee will be published on the committee website after this meeting. I now invite Mr. Coleman to make his opening statement.