Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Members are requested to use the wipes and hand sanitiser provided to clean shared seats and desks. If members are moving around, it is important to sanitise regularly. I remind members to please ensure that their mobile phones are switched off for the duration of the meeting as they interfere with the broadcasting equipment, even when on silent mode.

Are the minutes of the meeting of 5 October 2021 agreed? Agreed.

On behalf of the committee, I welcome Mr. Jim Miley, CEO of the Irish Universities Association; Dr. Joseph Ryan, CEO of the Technological Higher Education Authority, THEA; Professor Diarmuid Hegarty, president of the Higher Education Colleges Associations; and Mr. Ken Whyte, director of further education and training with the Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board, who is representing Education and Training Boards Ireland, ETBI. The witnesses are here to discuss leaving certificate reform with reference to higher and further education requirements, vocational options and career paths.

The format of the meeting is such that I will invite Mr. Miley to make a brief opening statement, followed by Dr. Ryan, Professor Hegarty and Mr. Whyte. This will be followed by questions from members of the committee. Each member has an eight-minute slot to ask questions and for the witnesses to respond. I will cut off the member or witness speaking after approximately eight minutes. As the witnesses are probably aware, the committee will publish any opening statements on its website following the meeting.

Before I begin, I want to remind members 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 or her identifiable.

The witnesses are not giving evidence remotely and are the first witnesses to come before the committee in person in a number of months. It is very welcome that we are getting back to some form of normality. 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, her or it 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 in respect of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed by the Chair to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

I will call Mr. Miley to make an opening statement, followed by the other witnesses as I outlined a few minutes ago. They each have four minutes.