Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everybody to this afternoon's public meeting. We have members present in the committee room. Apologies have been received from Deputies O'Donoghue and Griffin.

The Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl, and the Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, have published a Covid-19 code of conduct for the parliamentary community from March 2022. Face masks should continue to be worn when people are moving around the campus and during the meeting except when speaking. This will help to reduce the risk of Covid-19 spreading among the parliamentary community and I ask for members' full co-operation on this.

I propose that we approve the minutes of the private and public meetings held on 11 and 12 May 2022, which have already been approved at a virtual meeting. We must do this for procedural reasons. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the place in which Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House, in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit members to participate where they are not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, any member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting.

Our next business will be the committee's engagement with officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Before we start, I will explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses regarding references witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. The evidence of witnesses physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected pursuant to both the Constitution and statute by absolute privilege. The witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect 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 good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if any of their statements are potentially defamatory in regard to an identifiable person or entity, the witnesses will be directed to discontinue the remarks. It is imperative that the witnesses comply with such direction. Before we hear from the officials, I propose we publish the opening statement on the committee's website. Is that agreed? Agreed.

On behalf of the committee I extend a warm welcome to Mr. Bill Callanan, chief inspector; and Ms Anne Marie Dillon and Mr. Aidan Moody, senior inspectors at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I suggest Mr. Callanan should make an opening statement for approximately ten minutes. We will then have questions and comments from members, with each member having approximately ten minutes. If people keep to a ten-minute slot, there will be time for supplementary questions. I invite Mr. Callanan to make his opening statement.