David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Deputy John Paul Phelan and Senator Tony Mulcahy. Deputy Anne Ferris regrets that she will not be able to attend this part of the meeting, but she may attend later.

The purpose of the meeting is to hear a presentation on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. It is a very important resolution. On behalf of the joint committee, I am very pleased to welcome Ms Liz McManus, chair of the monitoring group. She is most welcome to this unfamiliar place. I also welcome Mr. Greg Heylin, director of COSC, National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence, which comes within the remit of the Department of Justice and Equality. Mr. David Byrne from the Department of Defence is also very welcome and I thank him for being present. I welcome Ms Helena Keleher, deputy director of the conflict resolution unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Comdt. Jayne Lawlor from the Defence Forces and Ms Salome Mbugua from AkiDwA who is a member of the monitoring group. It is nice to meet her again. She is very welcome and I thank her for attending.

The format is that delegates will be invited to make an opening statement of approximately five minutes. I urge them not to go beyond that time as there are many speakers and time is limited. The presentations will be followed by a question and answer session with members.

I ask members, delegates and observers in the Visitors Gallery to please turn off all mobile phones or else to leave them in airplane or flight safe mode, depending on the device used. It is not enough to leave them in silent mode because they interfere with the sound transmission in committee rooms which impacts negatively on broadcasting. If, in the course of proceedings, there is interference, I will ask that phones be turned off completely.

Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of the proceedings 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 any person or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members should be aware that, under the salient rulings of the Chair, they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I apologise for the late start. We had some private business to conduct before we could meet in public. I invite Ms McManus to commence her opening statement.