Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I welcome Mr. Jeremy Masding, group chief executive officer, Permanent TSB, who is accompanied by Mr. Glen Lucken, chief financial officer; Mr. Shane O'Sullivan, managing director of the group's asset management unit; and Mr. Ger Mitchell, group head of lending. The format of the meeting will be that Mr. Masding will make some opening remarks. In advance of the meeting we collated questions from members of the committee and submitted them to Permanent TSB. I thank Mr. Masding and his staff for responding in writing to them and the responses have been distributed to members. With the help of the input of the delegates, I hope all of the key topics will be covered. Nonetheless, a question and answer session will follow to clarify matters.
By virtue of section 17(2)(i) of the Defamation Act, 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. If they are directed by the Chairman to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only tqualified 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.
Members are reminded 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.
I ask Mr. Masding to begin. He should keep his opening presentation to around ten minutes.