Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are conducting pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the online safety and media regulation Bill 2020. This meeting has been convened to hear from representatives from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, BAI, and the Data Protection Commission, DPC. This is the second of our public hearings to discuss the general scheme of the Bill.

I welcome the witnesses. They will all be joining the meeting remotely via Microsoft Teams. From the BAI, I welcome Mr. Michael O'Keeffe, chief executive, and Ms Celene Craig, deputy chief executive. From the DPC, I welcome Ms Anne Morgan, deputy commissioner and head of legal, and her colleague, Ms Jennifer Dolan, assistant commissioner for children's policy. The format of the meeting is that I will invite the witnesses to make opening statements which will be followed by questions from members of the committee. As they are probably aware, the committee may publish the opening statements on the website following the meeting. I will call on each organisation to deliver their opening statements in the following order. We will first hear from the BAI and then the DPC. Opening statements are limited to five minutes per organisation.

I advise our guests of the following in the context of parliamentary privilege. 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, her or it identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if witnesses' statements are potentially defamatory with regard to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction. As our witnesses today are attending remotely from outside the Leinster House campus, they should note that 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 witness who is physically present does.

Members are 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 Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I remind members of the constitutional requirement whereby members must be physically present within the confines of the place where Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House or the Convention Centre Dublin, in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to attend where he or she is not adhering to the constitutional requirements. Any member who attempts to attend from outside the precinct will be asked to leave the meeting.

I ask members to identify themselves when contributing for the benefit of the Debates Office staff preparing the Official Report and also to please mute their microphones when not contributing in order to reduce background noise or feedback. I also ask that they use the raise hand function when they wish to contribute. I remind those joining today's meeting to ensure that their mobile phones are silent or switched off.

I invite Mr. O'Keeffe to make an opening statement on behalf of the BAI.