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

Members of the committee attending remotely must do so from within the precincts of Leinster House. As they will know, this is due the constitutional requirement that to participate in public meetings, members must be physically present within the confines of the Parliament.

The Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, is a permanent witness and is accompanied today by Mr. Andrew Harkness, director of audit at the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

This morning we will engage with the University of Limerick to examine its financial statements for 2021. This business is resumed because we have previously been here on these statements.

We are joined this morning by representatives from UL: Professor Kerstin Mey, president, uachtarán; Professor Shane Kilcommins, provost; Ms Rosemary Fogarty, financial controller; Mr. Bobby O'Connor, director of human resources; and Mr. John Kelly, corporate secretary. We are also joined by the following officials from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science - Departments' names are getting longer: Mr. Paul Lemass, head of corporate services and capital division; and Ms Elaine McWeeney, assistant principal, programme development, governance and development unit. They are all very welcome.

I remind all those in attendance to ensure their mobiles are switched off or on silent mode.

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. The evidence of witnesses physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected, pursuant to both the Constitution and statute, by absolute privilege. As today's witnesses are within the precincts of Leinster House, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of any presentation they make to the committee. This means they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say at the meeting. However, they are expected not to abuse that privilege, and it is my duty to ensure it is not abused. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks, and it is imperative they comply with any such direction.

Members are reminded of the provisions within Standing Order 218 that the committee shall refrain from inquiring into the merits of a policy or policies of the Government, or a Minister of the Government, or the merits of the objectives of such policies. Members are also reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice 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.

To begin, I call the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, to make his opening statement.