Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everyone to the meeting. Apologies have been received from Deputies Martin Browne and Cormac Devlin. I do not see any other apologies here. The minutes of the private and public meetings held on 3 May and 4 May 2023 have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed.

I remind members of the constitutional requirements that they must be physically present within the confines of the place which Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House, in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate where they are not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, any member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting.

The purpose of this meeting is our engagement with An Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, to discuss the annual report for 2021 and related matters. Before we start, 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. Witnesses are again reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice 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 the person or entity. Therefore, if witnesses' statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that witnesses comply with any such direction. I propose to publish the opening statements on the committee’s website. Is that agreed? Agreed.

On behalf of the joint committee, I extend a warm welcome to Mr. Justice Rory MacCabe, chairperson, Commissioner Hugh Hume and Mr. Peter Whelan, director of investigations and operations. Also in attendance is Ms Valerie Woods, deputy director of administration at GSOC. Mr. Justice Rory MacCabe will read out the opening statement, for ten minutes, and we will then have questions and comments from members. Each member will have ten minutes. Members may speak more than once. I now invite Mr. Justice Rory MacCabe to make his opening statement.