Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Everybody is welcome to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The committee is meeting in public session to consider the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022. We are joined by the following witnesses: Mica Action Group Donegal is represented by Mr. Michael Doherty, Dr. Andreas Leemann, Mr. Aidan Houton and Professor Paul Dunlop, who is joining us remotely; Clare Pyrite Action Group is represented by Dr. Martina Cleary and Dr. Michael Carmody; and Mayo Pyrite Action Group is represented by Ms Martina Hegarty and Ms Josephine Murphy. We have received their opening statements and other submissions and I thank the witnesses for those. They have been circulated to members.

I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the place where Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House, in order to participate in public meetings. Witnesses attending in the committee room are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their contribution to today's meetings. This means they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say at the meeting. Both 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 relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative they comply with any 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 Houses or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

The committee welcomes the opportunity to hear from the witnesses. Our job as legislators is to ensure this Bill is fit for purpose and solves the terrible difficulties people have experienced with houses across more than the three counties represented here.

We are constrained by the fact that this is a two-hour session. I ask witnesses to confine their opening statements to five minutes, after which we will move to the members. There will be six minutes for each member to ask questions and for witnesses to answer. I always ask members to keep questions direct and to the point to give witnesses the opportunity to respond because it is the witnesses we want to hear from. If members agree to that, I think we will be able to fit everybody in. We have the full membership present or represented and other members who have joined us may wish to contribute.

We will hear first from he Donegal group, followed by the Clare group and then the Mayo group. I ask Mr. Doherty to give his opening statement on behalf of the Mica Action Group Donegal.