Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

For the second section of the meeting, I welcome the following witnesses: from the Irish Organic Association, IOA, Ms Gillian Westbrook, CEO, and Mr. Stephen Meredith, policy officer; and from the Organic Growers of Ireland, OGI, Ms Grace Maher, steering committee member. All witnesses are joining remotely and are all welcome to the meeting. We have received their opening statements, which have been circulated to members. We are limited in our time, due to Covid-19 restrictions, so the committee has agreed that the opening statements be taken as read, so that we can use the full session for questions and answers. All opening statements are published on the Oireachtas website and are publicly available.

Before we begin, I will read an important notice on parliamentary privilege. Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they will give to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings be given. They are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise nor make charges against any person, persons or entity by name, or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Participants in the committee meeting from a location outside the parliamentary precincts are asked to note that the constitutional protections afforded to those participating from within the parliamentary precincts does not extend to them. No clear guidance can be given on whether, or the extent to which, participation is covered by the absolute privilege of a statutory nature.

I now invite questions from the members. I call Deputy Collins.