Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)

Good morning everybody, and I welcome you to the public session of our meeting.

I will read some formal notices. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the place in which Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House, in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit members to participate where they are not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, any member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting.

Our next order of business is our engagement with Mr. Ger Deering, Ombudsman and Information Commissioner, and Ms Siobhán O'Donoghue, senior investigator, from the Office of the Ombudsman. They are both very welcome.

Before we start, I want to explain some of the limitations of parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses as regards references witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. The evidence of witnesses physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected pursuant to both the Constitution and statute by absolute privilege. Witnesses are again 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 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 they comply with any such direction.

Before we hear from our witnesses, I propose that we publish their opening statements on the committee's website. Is that agreed? Agreed. On behalf of the committee, I extend a warm welcome to our witnesses this morning, Mr. Ger Deering and Ms Siobhán O’Donoghue. I invite Mr. Deering to read his opening statement. We will have a chance to have questions thereafter. I call him to deliver his opening statement. He is welcome here this morning.