Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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I welcome Mr. Paul Hannigan, president of the Letterkenny Institute of Technology, Mr. Dennis Cummins, president of the Dundalk Institute of Technology, and Mr. James Brennan, head of life sciences from Sligo Institute of Technology. Professor Terri Scott, president of Sligo Institute of Technology, is unfortunately unable to join us today.

By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give this committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise nor make charges against any person or persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I invite Mr. Paul Hannigan to make his opening statement.