Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Deputy Cairns and Senator O’Sullivan. I welcome from the Department of Justice, Mr. Doncha O'Sullivan, deputy secretary general, Mr. David Delaney, director of immigration service delivery, and Ms Emer Mullins, principal officer in the International Protection Office. I thank them for attending.

I will now go through the usual procedure for housekeeping issues. I advise anyone joining us through MS Teams that the chat function should be used only to make us aware of technical or urgent matters and not to make general comments or statements. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate where he or she is not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Any member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting. In this regard, I ask members who are participating via MS Teams to confirm they are on the grounds of the Leinster House complex before they contribute.

In advance of inviting the witnesses to deliver their opening statement, I advise them of the following in respect of parliamentary privilege. Witnesses who are participating from the committee room are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect they should not criticise nor 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 the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative they comply with any such direction.

I invite Mr. O'Sullivan to make his opening statement.