Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Good afternoon everybody and welcome to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. We are continuing with the pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft planning and development Bill 2022. We are joined by representatives of the Construction Industry Federation, CIF, Mr. Connor O'Connell, director of housing and planning, and Mr. Tom Parlon, director general; from the Irish Home Builders Association, IHBA, Mr. Michael Kelleher, vice chairman, and Ms Maeve Smith, director of communications; from Irish Institutional Property, IIP, Mr. Pat O'Farrell, CEO, Mr. Brian Moran, chair of the IIP planning committee, and Ms Jane Doyle, advisory and planning consultant; from Property Industry Ireland, PII, Dr. David Duffy, director, Mr. Ivan Gaine, chairman, and Mr. John Spain, chairman of the PII planning and development policy group; from Wind Energy Ireland, WEI, Mr. Justin Moran, director of external affairs, and Mr. Dennis Devane, senior policy analyst; and from Arthur Cox, by Ms Danielle Conaghan, head of the environment and planning group. We have all received the opening statements and I thank the witnesses for sending them on to us.

I remind members of the constitutional requirement that members must be physically present within the confines of the place where the Parliament has chosen to sit, namely Leinster House, in order to participate in public meetings. Witnesses attending in the committee room are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their contributions to today's meeting. This means witnesses 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 and it is my duty as Chair to ensure that privilege is not abused. Therefore, if a statement is potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, the speaker will be directed to discontinue such remarks. Compliance with any such direction is imperative. Members and witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect 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.

The order for the opening statements is Mr. O'Connell on behalf of CIF, Mr. Farrell on behalf of IIP, Dr. Duffy on behalf of PII and Mr. Moran for WEI. Please keep the opening statements to five minutes.