Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

This is the third in a series of meetings we are holding with local authorities from across the country. We started with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Council and Dublin City Council. We met with Galway and Cork County Councils last week. Today we are joined by Mr. Daniel McLoughlin and Mr. Colm Ward from South Dublin County Council and by Ms AnnMarie Farrelly, Mr. Robert Burns and Ms Mary Egan from Fingal County Council. You are all welcome. I thank you all for the opening statements which have been circulated to the members. You also submitted your housing delivery action plans. The purpose of these meetings is to look at the historical delivery of housing and the different types of housing that have been delivered over the last couple of years. It is also to look at the projected delivery in line with Housing for All. We agreed this morning that we will have a couple more meetings after which the committee will put a report together, and submit it with our recommendations and observations from engagement with local authorities.

I will read a brief note on privilege before I ask for opening statements. 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. For witnesses attending in the committee room, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their contributions to today's meeting. 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.

Before we hear opening statements, I want to explain to our witnesses that we take it in seven minute segments. That means members have seven minutes to ask questions and receive answers. If we stick to those seven minutes we can sometimes get in a second round of questions. I will start with South Dublin County Council followed by Fingal County Council. I invite Mr. McLoughlin to make his opening statement on behalf of South Dublin County Council.