Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Níl leithscéaltaí faighte againn inniu. No apologies have been received.

Is mian liom na riachtanais bhunreachtúla seo a leanas a mheabhrú do chomhaltaí. Nuair atá páirt á glacadh acu i gcruinnithe poiblí, caithfidh siad a bheith i láthair go fisiciúil laistigh de theorannacha suímh Theach Laighean. Ní cheadófaí do chomhaltaí páirt a ghlacadh i gcruinnithe poiblí nuair nach bhfuil siad ag cloí leis an riachtanas bunreachtúil seo. Mar sin, má ghlacann aon chomhaltaí páirt ó lasmuigh den suíomh, iarrfaidh mé orthu an cruinniú a fhágáil. Maidir leis seo, iarraim ar chomhaltaí a dheimhniú go bhfuil siad i láthair laistigh de phurláin Theach Laighean sula ndéanann siad aon ionchur sa chruinniú ar Microsoft Teams. Fiafraítear de chomhaltaí cleachtadh parlaiminte a urramú, nár chóir, más féidir, daoine nó eintiteas a cháineadh ná líomhaintí a dhéanamh ina n-aghaidh ná tuairimí a thabhairt maidir leo ina ainm, ina hainm nó ina n-ainmneacha ar shlí a bhféadfaí iad a aithint. Chomh maith leis sin, fiafraítear díobh gan aon rud a rá a d’fhéadfaí breathnú air mar ábhar díobhálach do dhea-chlú aon duine nó eintiteas. Mar sin, dá bhféadfadh a ráitis a bheith clúmhillteach do dhuine nó d'eintiteas aitheanta, ordófar dóibh éirí as an ráiteas láithreach. Tá sé ríthábhachtach go ngéillfidís don ordú sin láithreach.

I advise members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate where he or she is not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, a member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting. In this regard, I ask any member partaking in the meeting via MS Teams to confirm, prior to making a contribution, that he or she is on the grounds of the Leinster House campus.

Members 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 members' statements are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, I will direct them to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that members comply with any such direction.

The committee is considering the Israeli bond programme with the Central Bank of Ireland. Given the widespread opposition in Ireland to the policies and actions of the Israeli Government and its military in Gaza, there is concern in the Oireachtas and among the public about any role the Central Bank of Ireland has in facilitating the sale of Israeli bonds and how this complies with Ireland's obligations under the United Nations Genocide Convention. Under the EU prospectus regulation, a prospectus must be drawn up, approved and published when securities are to be offered to the public or admitted to trading on a regulated market in the EU. Third country issuers must choose one of the EU competent authorities as their home member state, subject to certain criteria set out in the EU prospectus regulation. Prior to 2021, the UK was the EU home member state under the regulation for the State of Israel. Ireland was chosen as the new home member state following the UK's departure from the EU. In line with previous engagement with the committee in the previous term, it is the Central Bank's view that it can only refuse the approval of the prospectus where the Central Bank has legal basis to do. Other than insufficient prospectus disclosures, examples of a legal basis for refusal are the existence of EU financial sanctions prohibiting the provision of services or assistance in connection with the issuance of securities by the Israeli Government, and national restrictive measures to the same effect.

In this context, I welcome the Governor of the Central Bank, Mr. Gabriel Makhlouf; deputy governor and financial regulation, Ms Mary-Elizabeth McMunn; and director of capital markets and funds, Mr. Gerry Cross, to our meeting. I invite Mr. Makhlouf to make his opening statement.