Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Deputy Colm Burke. We have one piece of housekeeping before we hear from the witnesses. Are the draft minutes of our public meeting on Wednesday, 2 February 2022 agreed? Agreed.

Today's meeting will be split into two sessions to discuss issues relating to home care. In the first session, the committee will engage with representatives of Age Action, the Care Alliance and Home and Community Care Ireland, HCCI. I welcome Ms Celine Clarke, head of advocacy and communications and Mr. Nat O'Connor, senior public affairs and policy specialist, Age Action; Ms Bereneice O'Rourke, director, and CEO of Communicare Healthcare; and Mr. Joseph Musgrave, CEO, HCCI; and from the Care Alliance, Ms Adrienne McAvinue, home care co-ordinator with the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, and Ms Catherine Cox, a representative of the Home Care Coalition.

Before we hear the opening statements, I need to point out to our witnesses that there is uncertainty as to whether parliamentary privilege will apply to their evidence if given from a location outside the parliamentary precincts of Leinster House. If, therefore, I direct them to cease giving evidence relating to a particular matter, they must respect that direction.

I call Mr. Musgrave to make his opening remarks.