Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the committee I welcome Mr. Keith Moynes, assistant secretary, higher education policy division; Ms Ann Gorman, principal officer, higher education policy division; and Mr. Éamonn Dunnican, principal officer, corporate services and capital division, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; and Mr. Philip Connolly, director of services; Mr. Jonathan Oliver, grants operations manager; and Ms Eleanor Murphy, communications and customer services manager, Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI. The officials are here today to brief the committee on financial supports for tertiary level students. The discussion will include available grants, duplication of applications, assessment of parental income and key recommendation No. 6 of the joint committee's report on the future funding of higher education.

The format of the meeting is that I will invite Mr. Moynes to make an opening statement and this will be followed by questions from the members of the committee. Given time constraints, each member has only five minutes in which to ask questions and for the officials to answer. As our witnesses are probably aware, the committee will publish the 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 a such a way as to make him or her identifiable. Our witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity, either 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 relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks and it is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

I invite Mr. Moynes to make his opening statement.