Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank everyone for being here. Members have the option of being physically present in the committee room or joining the meeting via Microsoft Teams, as quite a number have, from their Leinster House offices but they may not participate from outside the parliamentary precincts. I ask members joining on Teams to mute their microphones when not making a contribution and to use the raise hand function to indicate. All those present in the committee room are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19.

Today we are considering the recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality regarding leadership in politics, public life and the workplace. We are delighted to have representatives from three groups with us, the 30% Club, Women on Air and the National Traveller Women's Forum. I warmly welcome from the 30% Club, Ms Gillian Harford, country executive, and Ms Meliosa O’Caoimh, country chair; from Women on Air, Ms Roisin Duffy, chair, and Ms Pat Coyle, media trainer; and from the National Traveller Women's Forum, Ms Maria Joyce, co-ordinator. We may be joined by another representative from the National Traveller Women's Forum. I thank the witnesses for taking the time to attend.

Before we begin, I must read an important notice regarding parliamentary privilege. Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity in such a way as to make them identifiable. Participants who are giving evidence from a location outside parliamentary precincts are asked to note that the constitutional protections afforded to those participating from with parliamentary precincts do not extend to them. No clear guidance can be given on whether, or the extent to which, the participation is covered by absolute privilege of a statutory nature.

I will now invite the witnesses to make their opening statements before opening the floor to members for questions and answers. We look forward to digging into the key recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly under discussion today, namely, recommendations Nos. 20 to 25 on leadership in politics, public life and the workplace. I call Ms Harford to make her opening statement on behalf of the 30% Club.