Acting Chairman (Deputy Frank Feighan):

We will continue our consideration of cross-Border co-operation in education. Representatives of St. Angela's College, Sligo, and the University of Ulster who have agreed a memorandum of understanding will make presentations. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Dr. Anne Taheny, president; Mr. Eugene Toolan, head of education, and Ms Amanda McCloat, head of home economics, St. Angela's College; and Professor Linda Clarke, head of the school of education, University of Ulster. Before I call the first delegate, I advise that witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of utterances at this committee. However, if they are directed by it to cease making remarks on a particular matter and continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their remarks. They are directed that only cognisant evidence on the subject matter of this meeting is to be given and asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against a Member of either House of the Oireachtas, a person outside the Houses or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I invite Dr. Taheny to make her opening statement.