Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everyone to this meeting. Before we start our business, I will read some formal notices and the Covid-19 code of conduct. All of those present in the committee room are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19.

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, to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate where he or she is not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, any member who attempts to participate from outside the parliamentary precincts will be asked to leave.

For the information of the witnesses, I wish to explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Oireachtas as regards references they may make to other persons in their evidence. The evidence of witnesses physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected, pursuant to the Constitution and statute, by absolute privilege. Witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect 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 that person or entity. Therefore, if witnesses' statements are potentially defamatory of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

We will begin with the minutes of our previous meetings and then have two sessions. Session A will run from now and finish prior to 12.30 p.m. In it, we will consider assistive technology. We will then take a short break. In session B, which will run until 2 p.m., we will discuss autism policy and employment. At the request of the Working Group of Committee Cathaoirligh, we will endeavour to finish the meeting at 2 p.m.

I propose that the following arrangements will apply: the witnesses will make statements for five minutes each; we will then have questions and answers with members, for which each member may have five minutes; and members may speak more than once, if time allows. Is that agreed? Agreed.

First on our agenda are the minutes of our previous meetings. The question is that we approve the minutes of the public meetings held on 17 November and 22 November. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The next item is the consideration of assistive technology. I welcome the witnesses. We are joined by Mr. Fiacre Ryan from Castlebar and his mother, Ms Carmel Ryan, who has considerable experience of working in education. Fiacre was the first non-verbal autistic person to sit the leaving certificate, passing every subject with great result, achieving honours in maths, English and history. In another first, Fiacre has become the first non-verbal autistic person in Ireland to publish a book, Speechless, which was short-listed in the newcomer of the year category at the An Post Irish Book Awards. Fiacre and Carmel appeared in the RTÉ documentary, "Speechless", this year. In it, they demonstrated how he learned to communicate using the rapid prompting method and, later, other assistive technology. We look forward to hearing their evidence today. In light of the work they have done, they are an inspiration to every family in the country and have given hope to thousands of kids. There is help out there for kids, and our job as a committee is to ensure funding is in place to make that help available to everyone. We are exceedingly grateful to the witnesses for attending. I propose that we publish their opening statement on the committee's website. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I ask Ms Ryan to make her opening statement on behalf of herself and Fiacre.