Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have received apologies from Senator Mullen. Senator McGahon will be here but has been delayed. All Members of the Oireachtas should attend this meeting remotely from their offices within the Leinster House campus. Remote participation from outside the Leinster House campus is not possible for Members of the Oireachtas. Here is the proposed rota for questions. We have a panel of three witnesses. If we want to get everybody in, I will have to be fairly strict on the time allowed for questions and answers. I propose that each group be given ten minutes staring with Fianna Fáil and then moving through Fine Gael, Sinn Féin, the Social Democratic and Labour Party, SDLP, Alliance, Independent Members, Aontú, Sinn Féin again, Labour and the Green Party. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Our engagement this morning is with Mr. John McCallister, former MLA for the Ulster Unionist Party and NI21 who also sat as an Independent Member, Ms Anna Mercer, public affairs consultant with Stratagem, and Professor Jon Tonge, professor of politics, University of Liverpool. The witnesses were nominated by Ms Claire Hanna MP under our agreed procedures for deciding who to bring in. On behalf of the committee, I welcome the witnesses to today's meeting.

I will now read the notice on privilege. The evidence of witnesses physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected, pursuant to both the Constitution and statute, by absolute privilege. However, witnesses and participants who are to give evidence from a location outside the parliamentary precincts are asked to note that they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings that a witness giving evidence from within the parliamentary precincts does and may consider it appropriate to take legal advice on this matter. Witnesses are also asked to note that only evidence connected with the subject matter of the proceedings should be given. They should respect directions given by the Chair and the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should neither 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 or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the person's or entity's good name.

I will call the witnesses in alphabetical order to give their three-minute opening statements. It is part of our rules and regulation that we have to wear masks so I ask the witnesses to forgive us for doing so. I will call on Mr. McCallister. He will be followed by Ms Mercer and then Professor Tonge.