Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We have received apologies from Senator Hoey and Deputies Dillon and Cannon. This meeting has been convened to discuss, with representatives of Safety Over Stigma, the general scheme of the online safety and media regulation Bill. I thank our guests very much for joining us virtually for our meeting. This is not the way we would like to be doing things but we are getting closer to being able to do in-person meetings. We very much appreciate our witnesses giving of their time and their generosity of spirit regarding the information they are going to share with us. I welcome Ms Alicia O'Sullivan, founder of Safety Over Stigma, and Professor Louise Crowley from University College Cork. The format of the meeting is such that I will invite our witnesses to make an opening statement and that will be followed by questions from members.

As our witnesses may be aware, the committee may publish the opening statement on the website following today's meeting. Before I invite our witnesses to deliver their opening statement, which will be limited to three minutes, I wish to advise them of the following in respect of parliamentary privilege. Witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person 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 good name of the person or entity. If an opening statement is potentially defamatory in respect of any identifiable person or entity, the witness giving it will be directed to discontinue his or her remarks. As our witnesses are attending remotely outside the Leinster House campus, they should please note that there are some limitations in parliamentary privilege and as such they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as a witness physically present does.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. I remind members finally then of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines here of Leinster House in order to participate in today's public meeting. I cannot permit members to attend if they are not adhering to that constitutional requirement. If a member is not within the precincts of Leinster House, I will have to ask him or her to leave the meeting. I ask members to please identify themselves when contributing for the benefit of assisting the staff of the Debates Office involved in the preparation of the Official Report. Members might also mute their microphones when not contributing in order to reduce the background noise and feedback. I also ask members to raise their hand button when wishing to contribute and I also remind all members joining today's meeting to ensure that their mobile phones are in silent mode or, better again, switched off. I thank those in attendance for bearing with me for all of that housekeeping advice.

I ask Ms O'Sullivan to address the committee now, please.