Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I welcome from the Irish Cattle & Sheep Farmers Association, ICSFA, Mr. Patrick Kent, president; Mr. Eddie Punch, general secretary; Mr. Cathal O'Reilly; Mr. Kenneth O'Brien; Mr. James Fitzgerald, and Mr. Michael Murphy. The delegates from Macra na Feirme are Mr. Seán Finan, national president, whom I congratulate on his recent election and wish well in his coming term; Mr. Brian Hynes, chairman of the agricultural affairs committee, and Mr. Derrie Dillon, agriculture and rural affairs manager. I thank all of them for attending to brief the joint committee on the difficulties experienced by a number of farmers known as the forgotten farmers.

Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to the committee. However, if they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to so do, 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 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.

The format of the meeting is that we will allow opening statements from the ICSFA and Macra na Feirme before we open the discussion to members. As I understand there may be a vote on the Order of Business at approximately 5 p.m., we may have to suspend the sitting for a period. I invite Mr. Kent to make his opening statement.