Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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We will resume the meeting. The Chairman had to slip away and will be back in half an hour. I welcome the representatives of Meat Industry Ireland, MII, Mr. Ciaran Fitzgerald, chairman, and Mr. Cormac Healy, director. I thank them for coming before the committee.

Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the 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 qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. Witnesses 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 or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. The witnesses are welcome to make their opening presentations. They are using PowerPoint and everybody has a copy of the presentation.