Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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The next business is a presentation by representatives of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, on the current situation in Colombia. This meeting follows a visit to Colombia earlier this year by a delegation from ICTU. A couple of weeks ago the joint committee met the recently appointed Colombian ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency Mr. Néstor Osorio, and a number of issues were discussed at that meeting. As it is quite likely that in the near future the Dáil will consider the free trade agreement between the European Union and Colombia and Peru, this meeting is timely in view of recent and ongoing events.
Before we proceed, I remind committee members, delegates and those in the Visitors Gallery to switch off their mobile phones for the duration of the meeting as they cause interference, even when left in silent mode, with the recording equipment in committee rooms. I remind members 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. By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. If they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, they will be entitled thereafter only to 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 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.
I welcome from ICTU Mr. Peter Bunting, Ms Aileen Morrissey and Mr. Tom Geraghty and from SIPTU Mr. Jack O'Connor. I thank them for appearing before the committee. We will begin with Mr. Bunting.