Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Today the committee is continuing its detailed scrutiny of the veterinary practice (amendment) Bill 2021. In the first session of today's meeting we will have representatives from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. I welcome Mr. Brian McHugh and Mr. Patrick Kenny, who are joining us remotely. They will be given ten minutes to make an opening statement before we go into a question and answers session.

Before we begin, I have an important notice on parliamentary privilege. Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter in these proceedings is to be given. They are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not 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.

Participants in the meeting who are outside the parliamentary precincts are asked to note that the constitutional protections afforded to those participants within the parliamentary precincts may not extend to them. There are no clear guidelines on whether or the extent to which absolute privilege covers such participation.

I call on Mr. McHugh to make his opening statement.