Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Before I begin, I just wish to advise you that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this committee. If you are directed by the Chairman to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and you continue to so do, you are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and I would remind Members and those present that there are currently criminal proceedings ongoing and further criminal proceedings are scheduled during the lifetime of the inquiry, which overlap with the subject matter of the inquiry. The utmost caution should be taken not to prejudice those proceedings. Members of the public are reminded that photography is prohibited in the committee room. And to assist the smooth running of the inquiry we will display certain documents on the screens here in the committee room. For those sitting in the gallery, those documents must be displayed on the ... or will be displayed on the screens to your left and right and members of the public and journalists are reminded that those documents are confidential and should not publish any of the documents so displayed. The witness has been directed to attend the meeting of the Joint Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis and you've been furnished with booklets of core documents. These are before the committee and will be relied upon in question and form part of the evidence of the inquiry. So if I can now ask the clerk to administer the oath please.