Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Everyone is very welcome. We are delighted everyone is here and that we are reaching this item. It is something the committee wanted to look at for a long time. I am sure everyone has been following the committee proceedings. Many other issues have fallen on us as well.

The item for consideration is issues relating to foster care. We are meeting with the following representatives: from EPIC, chief executive, Ms Marissa Ryan, Ms Lauren O'Toole, and Mr. Rory Brown; from the Irish Foster Care Association, Ms Catherine Bond, chief executive, Mr. Raymond Nolan, chairperson, Mr. Brendan Gillen, treasurer, who is joining us remotely via Teams, and Dr. Helen Gogarty; from the Irish Association of Social Workers, Ms Aine McGuirk, social worker, and Dr. Valerie O'Brien, chair of the IASW social workers in foster care special interest group and social worker and assistant professor in the school of social policy, UCD; and Ms Aoife Bairéad, independent social worker at Minds in Mind. They are all very welcome to the meeting.

In relation to parliamentary privilege, I would like to advise people that the chat function on Microsoft Teams is only to be used to make the team on-site aware of any technical issues or urgent matters that may arise. We ask people not to use to make general comments or statements during the meeting. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that members must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in public meetings. Members will not be permitted 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. I ask any member who is participating via Teams that they confirm they are on the grounds of Leinster House before making their comments.

In advance of inviting the witnesses to deliver their opening statements, and in relation to parliamentary privilege, witnesses participating from the committee room are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice 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. If their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks and it is imperative that they comply with any such direction. Witnesses attending remotely from outside the Leinster House complex should note that there is uncertainty as to whether parliamentary privilege applies to evidence delivered from a location outside the parliamentary precincts of Leinster House, so if a witness is directed by the Chair to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter, it is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

Whoever is delivering the opening statement has been allocated five minutes. I ask people to adhere to that, if possible, so that there is plenty of time for questions. We will start with Ms O'Toole who will be followed by Ms Bond, Dr. O'Brien and Ms Bairéad