Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the committee I welcome the following: Mr. Jim Miley, chief executive officer of the Irish Universities Association, IUA; Professor Diarmuid Hegarty, chair of the Higher Education Colleges Association, HECA; Dr. Joseph Ryan, chief executive officer of the Technological Higher Education Association, THEA; and Councillor Mary Hoade, President of the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG.

The witnesses are here today to discuss the general scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021 as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process. The format of the meeting is that I will invite Mr. Miley to make an opening statement, followed by Professor Hegarty, Dr. Ryan and Councillor Hoade. The statements will be followed by questions from members of the committee. Each member will have a five-minute slot to ask questions and for the witnesses to respond. I will be as lenient as possible but ask people for their forbearance on this and that members and witnesses remain within the five minutes.

As witnesses are probably aware, the committee will publish the opening statements on its website following this meeting. As the witnesses are giving evidence remotely from outside the parliamentary precincts they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as witnesses physically present do. Any member asking questions will be in the precincts of Leinster House. The witnesses have already been advised of this. If they think it appropriate to take legal advice on this matter they may do so now but the meeting will begin shortly.

Witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory with regard to an identifiable person or entity they will be directed by the Chair to discontinue their remarks. I ask them to comply with this as it is imperative that they do so.

I now invite Mr. Miley to make his opening statement followed by those of the other witnesses. As I outlined, each witness has three minutes.