Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I apologise to the departmental officials. The last session ran over time. It really illustrates the interest people have in organic farming and the role it can play in facing up to the challenges of climate change and reducing the country's emissions from commercial farming.

For this second session of the meeting, I welcome the following officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Mr. Colm Hayes, assistant secretary with responsibility for organics, Mr. Kevin McGeever, assistant principal officer in the organics policy division, and Mr. Seamus Barron, agricultural inspector in the agri-environmental inspectorate division. They are all very welcome to the meeting. I understand that Mr. Hayes is going to make a brief opening statement. I hope he will keep it to between three and five minutes in order that we can get questions in from members.

Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence that they are to give to the committee. However, if 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. Witnesses are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given. They are asked to respect parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her, or it identifiable. Participants who join the committee meeting from a location outside of the parliamentary precincts are asked to note that the constitutional protections afforded to those participating within the parliamentary precincts do not extend to them. No clear guidance can be given on whether or the extent to which their participation is covered by the absolute privilege of a statutory nature.

I now call on Mr. Hayes to make a brief opening statement.