Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the committee, I welcome Dr. Paul Downes, associate professor of psychology of education at the School of Human Development, Dublin City University, DCU; Professor Shelley Hymel, Edith Lando professor in social and emotional learning at the university of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada; and Professor Carmel Cefai, department of psychology and director of the Centre for Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health, University of Malta. I appreciate them joining us from abroad. We are in totally different time zones and I hope we did not get them out of bed too early.

The format of the meeting is that I will invite Dr. Downes to make an opening statement, followed by Professor Hymel, and finally Professor Cefai. The statements will be followed by questions from members of the committee. Each member has a specific slot in which they can ask a question and the witnesses can reply. Witnesses are probably aware that the committee will publish their opening statements on its website following this meeting.

Before I begin, I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect of they should not comment on, criticise, or make charges against a person outside the Houses, or an official, either by name in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. Witnesses are giving evidence remotely from a place outside of the parliamentary precincts and, as such, they may not benefit from the same level of immunity as a witness who is physically present does. Witnesses have already been advised of this issue. I remind everybody of the long-standing practice.

I call on Dr. Downes to make his opening statement, followed by the other witnesses, as I have outlined. Dr. Downes has been locked out of the meeting, so we shall now start with Professor Hymel.