Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The purpose of today's meeting is to discuss COM (2021) 802, a proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the energy performance of buildings, which is obviously a significant challenge for this country in terms of how we build and heat our buildings and how we retrofit the housing stock we have to bring it up to a high energy efficiency standard and make the running of those houses affordable. From the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, we are joined by Mr. Seán Armstrong, senior adviser at the climate action policy unit; Ms Margaret Power, assistant principal; and Mr. Derek Rafferty, principal officer, governance and rental standards. From the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, we are joined by Mr. Robert Deegan, principal officer, residential energy efficiency division; and Mr. Tony Collins, principal officer, heat and business energy efficiency division. From Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, we are joined by Dr. Ciarán Byrne, director of national retrofit; programme managers Ms Dara Stewart and Ms Orla Coyle; and Mr. Chris Hughes, energy performance of buildings directive-building energy rating development.

Members have been provided with the opening statements and briefings. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that members must be physically present within the confines of the place where Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House to participate in public meetings. Those attending remotely from within the Leinster House complex are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their contributions to today's meeting. This means they have an absolute defence against any defamation action they say at the meeting. There are some limitations on parliamentary privilege for witnesses who are attending remotely from outside Leinster House and, as such, they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as a person physically present within the Leinster House complex. Members and witnesses are expected not to abuse the privilege they enjoy. It is my duty as Chair to ensure this privilege is not abused. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks and it is imperative that they comply with such direction.

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

I invite Mr. Armstrong to make his opening statement on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.