Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our witnesses. They are all addressing us virtually via MS Teams. Mr. Rody O'Brien and Ms Maree Ryan-O'Brien are representing Aitheantas, Ms Susan Lohan and Ms Mari Steed are representing the Adoption Rights Alliance, Ms Suzanne Connolly, chief executive officer, and Ms Christine Hennessy, head of post-adoption services, are representing Barnardos, and Dr. Maeve O'Rourke and Ms Claire McGettrick are representing the Clann Project. We are engaging with the witnesses in our pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the birth information and tracing Bill. The purpose of this proposed legislation is to enshrine in law the importance of an individual knowing his or her origins.

Before I invite the witnesses to deliver their opening statements, I must advise them about parliamentary privilege when addressing a parliamentary committee. As all of the witnesses are appearing before the committee virtually, I need to point out that there is uncertainty about whether parliamentary privilege will apply to their evidence from a location outside the parliamentary precincts of Leinster House. Therefore, if I direct them to cease giving evidence on a particular matter, it is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

Each witness will be allocated three minutes to speak. Given the time constraints, I must adhere to that allocation strictly. I will call on the witnesses in the following order: Ms Ryan-O'Brien, Ms Lohan, Ms Connolly and Ms McGettrick. I understand that others will probably contribute during the question-and-answer session, which will follow the opening statements.

I invite Ms Ryan-O'Brien to make her opening statement.