Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Deputy Kehoe. Before we begin, I remind members that in the context of the current Covid-19 restrictions, only the Chairman and staff are present in the committee room. All other members must join the meeting remotely from elsewhere in the parliamentary precincts. The secretariat can issue invitations to join the meeting on Microsoft Teams. Members may not participate in the meeting from outside the parliamentary precincts. I ask members to please mute their microphones if they are not making a contribution and to use the raise-hand function to indicate they wish to contribute. Please note that messages sent in the meeting chat are visible to all participants. Speaking slots will be prioritised for members of the committee.

The topic of this session is the work of the beef task force. I welcome to the meeting Mr. Michael Dowling, chair of the beef task force, Ms Sinéad McPhillips, assistant secretary in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Ms Maria Dunne, principal officer in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, who are joining us from the witness room in Kildare House.

Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, 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 is to be given and they are asked to respect the 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.

I now invite questions form committee members for Mr. Dowling and his fellow witnesses.