Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everyone to this online meeting. Due to the current situation regarding Covid-19, only the clerk, support staff and I are in the committee room. Members of the committee are attending remotely from within the precincts of Leinster House. This is due to the constitutional requirement that, in order to participate in public meetings, Members must be physically present within the confines of the place where the Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House or the Convention Centre Dublin. I ask that committee members confirm their locations before contributing to ensure they are adhering to this constitutional requirement. The Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, is a permanent witness to the committee and is attending remotely.

Before we begin our public engagement, we considered the minutes of our meetings of 18, 23 and 25 February and 2 March at our private meeting last week. Standing Order 107(3) requires that the minutes are agreed in public session. Are the minutes agreed? Agreed. As usual, the minutes will be published on the committee’s webpage.

Today we are engaging with officials from the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI, to examine its financial statements for 2019. We are joined remotely from within the precincts of Leinster House by the following officials from SBCI: Mr. Ian Black, interim CEO, Ms Suzanne Sweeney, head of lending, and Mr. Ray Mangan, head of risk, finance and operations. I welcome them to the meeting and thank them and their staff for the briefing material they have prepared for the committee.

When we begin to engage, I ask that members and witnesses mute themselves when not contributing in order that we will not pick up any background noise or feedback. As usual, I remind all those in attendance to ensure that their mobile phones are switched off or on silent mode.

I wish to explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses as regards references witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. As they are within the precincts of Leinster House, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the presentation they make to the committee. 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 Chairman to ensure that this privilege is not abused. If, therefore, their statements are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

Members are reminded of the provisions within Standing Order 218 that the committee shall refrain from inquiring into the merits of a policy or policies of the Government or a Minister, or of the objectives of such policies. They are also reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect 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.

To assist our broadcasting and debates services, I ask that members direct their questions to a specific witness. If the question has not been directed to a specific witness, I ask the witnesses to state their names the first time they contribute.

I invite the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. McCarthy, to make his opening statement.