Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Good afternoon. All persons present in the committee room are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19.

Our afternoon meeting today is with representatives from the Institute of International and European Affairs, IIEA, to discuss its recent publications on hybrid threats and threats to the national infrastructure.

I am pleased to welcome Dr. Barry Colfer, the director of research, and Mr. Cian FitzGerald, researcher in the area of security and defence. They are both very welcome.

The format of our meeting is in the usual manner. We will hear the opening statement followed by a questions and answers session with members of the committee. I ask members to be concise with questions to allow everybody an opportunity to participate. I would like to welcome Deputy Réada Cronin to our public session and acknowledge her contribution as a new member of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence. She is very welcome.

I advise witnesses and members of the long-standing parliamentary practice that we should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make them in any way identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, any statements that may be potentially defamatory with regard to any identifiable person or entity will result in a direction to discontinue the remarks. It is imperative that any such direction be complied with.

For witnesses attending remotely from outside the Leinster House campus, of which there are none, I was to advise on the limitations to parliamentary privilege, but it does not apply to today's meeting. I would also like to remind members that they are only allowed to participate in this meeting if they are physically located on the Leinster House campus. I would say for the benefit of our witnesses and guests that we are still operating a hybrid model insofar as is possible for members to attend remotely from their offices. I do not have any indication of any such attendance at today's meeting. If that changes during the course of the meeting, I would be happy to advise. I now call Dr. Colfer and Mr. FitzGerald to make an opening statement. I thank them for being here.