Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all present to the meeting. If attending in the committee room, attendees are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others against the risk of contracting Covid-19. Members of the committee attending remotely must do so from within the precincts of Leinster House. This is due to the constitutional requirement that, to participate in public meetings, members must be physically present within the confines of the place where the Parliament has chosen to sit.

The Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, is a permanent witness to the committee and is accompanied by Ms Ruth Foley, deputy director of audit at the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

This afternoon, we will engage with representatives from Premier Lotteries Ireland, PLI, the operator of the national lottery, in respect of the following chapter from the Comptroller and Auditor Generals Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2021: Chapter 19 - Exchequer receipts from National Lottery ticket sales. From Premier Lotteries Ireland, we are joined by Mr. Andrew Algeo, chief executive officer, and Mr. Cian Murphy, chief product and digital officer. They are both very welcome. I remind all those in attendance to ensure their mobile phones are on silent mode or switched off.

Before we start, I wish to explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege, and the practice of the Houses as regards reference witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. As the witnesses are within the precincts of Leinster House, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the presentations they make to the committee. This means they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say at the meeting. However, witnesses are expected not to abuse this privilege and it is my duty, as Cathaoirleach, to ensure that privilege is not abused. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory to an identifiable person or entity, I will direct witnesses to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative they comply with any such directions.

Members are aware of their obligations under Standing Order 218, as well as the long-standing parliamentary practices.

Mr. Algeo is very welcome. As detailed in the letter of invitation, he has five minutes for his opening statement. I invite him to proceed.