Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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On behalf of the committee I am pleased to invite the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Sean Sherlock, to brief us on the current developments in Northern Ireland with specific reference to the Fresh Start agreement. Before I invite him to make his presentation I advise the witnesses that they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of utterances at this committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease making remarks on a particular matter and continue to do so they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their remarks. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of this meeting is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against a member of either House of the Oireachtas, a person outside the Houses, or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I invite the Minister of State to make his opening statement.