Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Apologies for our slight delay in restarting. A vote was called in the Seanad, so I and other members had to make our way to the Chamber for that.

I ask Mr. Allamby, Ms McGahey and Ms Gibney to bear with me. I have a little spiel about privilege for witnesses that I have to read out so I will just run through that again, as is required. Witnesses giving evidence from within the parliamentary precincts are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to a committee. This means that a witness has a full defence in any defamation action for anything said at a committee meeting. However, witnesses are expected not to abuse this privilege and may be directed to cease giving evidence on an issue at the Chair's direction. Witnesses should follow the direction of the Chair in this regard and are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that, as is reasonable, no adverse commentary should be made against an identifiable third party or entity. Witnesses who are to give evidence from a location outside the parliamentary precincts are asked to note that they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as witnesses who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts and may consider it appropriate to take legal advice on the matter. Privilege against defamation does not apply to the publication by witnesses outside of the proceedings held by the committee of any matters arising from the proceedings.

I welcome to our second session our three witnesses: Mr. Les Allamby, chief commissioner, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; Ms Geraldine McGahey, chief commissioner, the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland; and Ms Sinéad Gibney, chief commissioner, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC. You are all very welcome to our committee meeting. We really appreciate your time to appear before us to make statements and to take questions from our members. I now call on you to make your opening statements. I gather there is one joint opening remark.