Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everybody to the meeting. We have one apology from Deputy Alan Dillon and Deputy Matt Carthy may be late because he is attending a meeting of the agriculture committee as well.

In order to limit the risk of spreading Covid-19, the service encourages all members, visitors and witnesses to continue to wear face coverings when moving around the Leinster House campus and when in close proximity to others. I ask members and witnesses to respect other people's physical space and adhere to public health advice at all times. Members attending remotely must continue to do so within the precincts of Leinster House. This is due to the constitutional requirement that in order to participate in public meetings, members must be physically present within the confines of the place where the Parliament has chosen to sit. The Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, is a permanent witness to the committee.

This morning we will engage with officials from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, to examine its 2020 financial statements and related matters. We are joined in the committee room by officials from the SEAI. They are Mr. William Walsh, chief executive officer; Ms Marion O’Brien, director of corporate services; Dr. Ciaran Byrne, director of national retrofit; and Mr. Declan Meally, director of business, public sector and transport. We are also joined in the committee room by Ms Jenny O’Hora, and Mr. Robert Deegan, principal officers from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. They are all very welcome.

When we begin to engage, I will ask those attending remotely to mute their microphones when not contributing in order that we do not pick up any background noise. As usual, I remind all those in attendance to ensure that their mobile phones are either in silent mode or switched off.

Before starting, I will explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses in respect of reference witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. Within the precincts of Leinster House, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the presentation they make to the committee. This means that they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they may say at the meeting. However, they are expected not to abuse this privilege and it is my duty as Cathaoirleach to ensure that it is not abused. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue and it is imperative that they comply with such directions.

Members are reminded of the provisions within Standing Order 218 that the committee shall refrain from inquiring into the merits of a policy or policies of the Government, or a Minister of the Government, or the merits of the objectives of such policies. Members are also reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice 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.

I call on the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, to make his opening statement.