Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will now meet relevant stakeholders for our pre-legislative scrutiny of the education (supports for survivors of residential institutional abuse) Bill. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Mr. Patrick Rodgers, regional manager at Fréa in the north of England, who has come from the UK to join us today; Ms Maeve Lewis, CEO of One in Four; Ms Siobhán Byrne, regional outreach officer at Right of Place Second Chance; and Ms Carmel McDonnell Byrne, board member and co-founder of the Christine Buckley Centre for Education and Support. The Alliance Victim Support Group could not attend, as its chair and secretary are both in hospital. We wish them well. The London Irish Centre was also invited to attend and its contribution is contained in the opening statement from Fréa. Mr. Rodgers will speak on behalf of the centre.

I welcome Ms Deirdre Kenny. From the Christine Buckley Centre for Education and Support, I welcome Ms Joan Burton. I also welcome Ms Helen Guinan from Right of Place Second Chance. They are in the Public Gallery. Staff from Fréa and the London Irish Centre are joining us virtually via Microsoft Teams as observers. They are all welcome.

The format of the meeting is that I will invite each witness to make a brief opening statement of five minutes in the following order: Mr. Rodgers, Ms Lewis, Ms Byrne and Ms McDonnell Byrne. This will be followed by questions from members, each of whom will have a six-minute slot to ask questions and for witnesses to respond. As witnesses are probably aware, the committee will publish their opening statements on its website following the meeting.

Before we begin, I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect 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. Witnesses are 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 respect of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed by the Chair to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

I will ask Mr. Rodgers to make his opening statement, followed by the other witnesses. There are clocks under each of the screens, so I ask that they watch those and stick to their five minutes as much as possible.