Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everybody. We meet to discuss the issue of the defective concrete blocks scheme. I welcome representatives of groups from counties Mayo, Clare and Donegal. We are joined in person by Ms Lisa Hone, chair, and Ms Angela Ward, Mica Action Group Donegal; by Dr. Martina Cleary, chair, and Ms Mary Hanley who is joining us online, Clare Pyrite Action Group; and Ms Josephine Murphy, chairperson, and Mr. Conor O'Donnell, secretary, Mayo Pyrite Action Group. I thank them for giving up their time to attend and assist us.

This is a huge scheme worth more than €3 billion or whatever it is going to be. The purpose of the meeting is to meet with the groups and families and people affected by mica and the defective concrete blocks scheme. We were to have a second session afterwards where we had invited the Housing Agency and a number of others, but they are unfortunately unable to attend at this time. We discussed it in committee this morning and the committee will invite them in for a meeting at some stage when we can fit it into our schedule. We will speak to the witnesses here and relay their concerns and questions to those groups to try to get some answers for them. We have been circulated with the witnesses' opening statements and relevant papers in advance and I thank them for that.

I will read a quick note on privilege before we start. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the place where the Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House, to participate in public meetings. Witnesses attending in the committee room are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their contributions. This means they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say at the meeting. Members and witnesses are expected not to abuse the privilege they enjoy and it is my duty, as Chair, to ensure this privilege is not abused. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction. For witnesses attending remotely there are some limitations to parliamentary privilege and, as such, they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as a person who is physically present.

Members and witnesses are reminded 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.

The opening statements will be published on the committee website following this meeting. We will start with the opening statements before moving to the committee members for questions. This is a 90-minute meeting so I will limit questions to six minutes so we get round everybody. I know there are witnesses who want to come in from other areas.