Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)

This is our second public session today. We will continue our consideration of challenges in the implementation of Coimisiún na Meán's code of fairness, impartiality and objectivity in news and current affairs.

I very much welcome Mr. Ivan Yates of Yewtree Infotainment Unlimited to committee room 3. Your are very welcome, Ivan, and thanks for coming in.

The format of today's meeting is that I will invite Mr. Yates to address the committee with his opening statement, which will be limited to three minutes or thereabouts. As he is probably aware, the committee may publish the opening statement on its website. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Before we move to today's presentation, I wish to clarify some limitations relating to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses as regards references witnesses 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 in respect of the presentations they make to this committee. This means they have an absolute defence against defamation action for anything they say at the meeting. However, they are expected not to abuse this privilege, and it is my duty as Cathaoirleach to ensure that 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 they comply with any such direction.

Members 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.

Members will note that the stakeholder invited to this session represents a private entity and is, therefore, not accountable to the committee and attends on a voluntary basis to assist the committee in its deliberations. It will be my role as Cathaoirleach to ensure the meeting is conducted in a fair and respectful manner at all times. I ask that all members act responsibly in relation to utterances concerning those present and those not present at this meeting. I will intervene in any exchanges where I deem this not to be the case.

Before I invite Ivan to address the committee, I thank him for coming in. It is very much appreciated. Today, we have already met representatives of Coimisiún na Meán and officials from the Department to discuss regulatory issues as regards this whole sector and the overlap of media and politics. We also invited a number of other companies and individuals to attend but they chose not to. For clarity reasons, a number of those individuals or companies pointed out that they did not actually do work in this space and we must acknowledge that. In fairness to the committee members, it was a question of asking a number of people to get a flavour because we, as committee members, would not fully know. Others who do work in this space declined our invitation and so it is very much appreciated that Ivan came in and I ask him to address us with his opening statement.