Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Everyone is welcome back. I do not know if the witnesses had a chance to listen to the session we have just held with the Dublin Homeless Regional Executive, the Department and Cork City Council. We are now joined by Seán Moynihan, Gráinne Loughran and Frank Dillon from ALONE; Louise Bayliss, Carly Bailey and Marcella Stakem from the National One Parent Family Alliance; Dermot Kavanagh, Kerry Brennan and Paul Sheehan from Cork Simon; and Richard Guiney and Gerard Farrell from Dublin Town. They are all very welcome. I thank them for their attendance and for the opening statements and briefing documents they sent us in advance.

I will just read a quick note on privilege before we begin. 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 the contributions they make to today's meetings. This means they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say at the meeting. Both 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. We have no members attending remotely so I will skip over the next piece.

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 the witnesses have sent us will be published on the committee website after this meeting.

We have four opening statements. I ask witnesses to keep those opening statements to five minutes. We will then go to members, who will have five minutes to include both questions and answers. Direct questions directed to a specific witness and direct answers will help us to proceed in a timely manner. I will call on ALONE, the National One Parent Family Alliance, Cork Simon and Dublin Town in that order. I believe Mr. Moynihan is to make an opening statement on behalf of ALONE.