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

If any members or witnesses who are participating remotely are experiencing any sound or technical issues, I ask them to let us know through the "chat" function in Microsoft Teams, otherwise I will proceed with the meeting. Apologies have been received from Deputy Dillon and Senator Ruane. Senator McGreehan is hoping to join us but she will connect remotely to today's meeting.

I remind members who are participating remotely to keep their devices on mute until they are invited to speak. When they are speaking, I ask them to, where possible, have their cameras switched on. I remind them to be mindful that we are public session. I also remind members of the constitutional requirement that members must be physically present within the confines of the place in which the Parliament is choosing to sit, which is Leinster House or the Convention Centre Dublin, to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate where they are not adhering to that constitutional requirement. Any member who attempts to participate at this meeting from outside the precincts will be refused.

The committee is resuming pre-legislative scrutiny of the birth information and tracing Bill 2021. I sincerely welcome the representatives from the Data Protection Commission, DPC, who will address the committee virtually via Microsoft Teams. The meeting today will comprise two sessions, each of one hour's duration. Members will engage with representatives of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in the second session.

We are joined for our first session by Mr. Dale Sunderland, deputy commissioner, and Mr. David Murphy, assistant commissioner. The purpose of our meeting is to engage with both our guests on the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill. The purpose of the proposed legislation is to enshrine into law the importance of an individual knowing their origins. Before I ask our guests to deliver their opening statement, I must advise them about the parliamentary privilege that applies when they are addressing a parliamentary committee. As all of the witnesses are appearing before the committee virtually, I need to point out that there is uncertainty if parliamentary privilege will apply to evidence given from a location outside the parliamentary precincts of Leinster House. Therefore, if our guests are directed by me to cease giving evidence about a particular mater, it is imperative they comply with any such direction.

Our guests will be allocated three minutes' speaking time and due to the time constraints we are under this afternoon, I must strictly adhere to the time allocation. We will have the opening statements, followed by a question-and-answer session with members. A speaking rota was circulated to members in advance of the meeting and members will also be allocated three minutes each. We will allocate any extra time at the end of the meeting.

I call Mr. Sunderland to deliver his opening statement. I sincerely welcome him to the meeting and thank him for joining us.