Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 16 December 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters

Personal Transport for People with Disabilities: Office of the Ombudsman

Photo of Michael MoynihanMichael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Deputy Murnane O'Connor and Senator Seery Kearney. The purpose of today's meeting is to discuss the report, Grounded - Unequal access for people with disabilities to personal transport schemes. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Mr. Peter Tyndall, Ombudsman, and Ms Sarah Cooney, principal officer at the Office of the Ombudsman. I thank them for agreeing them to attend earlier than originally planned this morning.

I must remind members that they are only allowed to participate in the meeting if they are physically within the confines of Leinster House. In this regard, if members are joining the meeting remotely, I ask them to confirm they are on the grounds of Leinster House before they make a contribution to the meeting. For anybody who is watching the meeting online, the witnesses are joining us remotely, and due to the unprecedented circumstances, I ask everybody to bear with us should any technical issues arise.

Before we commence formal proceedings, witnesses are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. I advise witnesses giving evidence from a location outside the parliamentary precincts to note that constitutional protections afforded to witnesses attending to give evidence before the committee may not extend to them. Unfortunately, no clear guidance can be given on that issue and, of course, persons giving evidence from another jurisdiction should be mindful of the domestic statutory regime. If witnesses are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter, they should respect the direction of the committee.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or persons outside the Houses or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I now call Mr. Tyndall to make his opening remarks.

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