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

I thank my colleague, Senator Malcolm Byrne, for joining me this afternoon. We are after having a heated and robust discussion around hotels and Ms Gleeson was in the middle of it all. This part of the meeting is slightly different.

I welcome officials from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. This is the committee's first meeting to examine the public service performance report and to hear from the officials on what was delivered with public moneys across the relevant departmental programme areas. To that end, I welcome Ms Patricia Murphy, assistant secretary with responsibility for corporate affairs; Mr. Joe Healy, head of finance; Ms Mary Nash, principal officer in the arts and culture division; Ms Orlaith Gleeson, who we had the privilege of meeting earlier, principal officer in the tourism division; Mr. Micheál Ó Conaire, principal officer in the sports division; and Mr. Stephen Ryan, principal officer in the broadcasting and media division. What a Department. It is very broad but very exciting, I am sure. Obviously, with Covid, I remind all those present to be careful, safe and mind themselves.

I have a little housekeeping and I ask attendees to bear with me while I attend to it. The format of the meeting is that I will invite an opening statement of not more than five minutes on behalf of the Department, which will be followed by questions from my colleagues. As witnesses are probably aware, the committee may publish the opening statements on its website following the meeting.

Before I invite witnesses to deliver the opening statement, I will explain some limitations in relation to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the House as regards references made to other persons in 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. Witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person 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 a person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not make 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.

After all that housekeeping and the tongue-twisting text, I ask Ms Murphy to make her opening statement.