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

This meeting has been convened to discuss the potential interplay between the EU digital services package and the online safety and media regulation Bill. I welcome officials from the broadcasting and media division of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Unfortunately, they will only be joining us in committee room 1 remotely via Microsoft Teams. I welcome Ms Tríona Quill, assistant secretary, and her colleague, Mr. Ciarán Shanley, senior policy analyst. I also extend a warm welcome to the officials from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, who will be joining us remotely as well. We have Ms Sabha Greene, principal officer with the digital economy policy unit, and her colleagues, Mr. Eoin Cuddihy and Mr. Mark Dugdale.

The format of the meeting is such that I will invite the officials attending on behalf of their respective Departments to make their opening statements, which will be followed by questions from my colleagues. As the witnesses are probably aware, the committee may publish their opening statements on its website following today's meeting.

Before I invite our witnesses to deliver their opening statements, which will be limited to five minutes apiece, I wish to explain some of the limitations in terms of parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses regarding references that witnesses make to other persons in their evidence.

The evidence of witnesses who are physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected pursuant to the Constitution and statute by absolute privilege. However, witnesses today are giving their evidence from a location outside the parliamentary precincts and, as such, may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as a witness giving evidence from within the parliamentary precincts does. Witnesses may consider it appropriate to take legal advice on this matter.

Witnesses are also 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 person or entity's good name. If a witness's statement is potentially defamatory in relation to any identifiable person or entity, he or she will be directed to discontinue the remarks and it is imperative that he or she would comply with any such direction, which I know you all, of course, would do.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against any person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House campus to participate in our public meeting today. I cannot permit any member to attend if outside that constitutional requirement. Any member who intends to attend from outside of the precincts of the Leinster House campus will be asked to leave the meeting.

I ask members and witnesses to please identify themselves when contributing. This is for the benefit of the Debates Office staff in preparing the Official Report. I also ask everyone to mute their microphones when not contributing to avoid background noise and feedback. When witnesses and members wish to contribute I ask that they use the raise hand facility. I remind those joining today's meeting to switch off their mobile phones or put them into silent mode.

After all of that housekeeping, which I am sure attendees found riveting, I will move on to the most important part of today's meeting. I ask Ms Tríona Quill to deliver her opening statement.