Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)
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Before I introduce our witnesses today, at the request of the broadcasting and recording services, members and visitors in the Public Gallery are requested to ensure that their phones are turned off completely or at least put on airplane mode for the duration of this meeting. I want to reiterate the fact that it causes severe interference. If RTE or other broadcasters try to show clips, devices really impair the quality of the material. I ask everyone to please co-operate on that matter.

It is very warm in this committee room of which our guests in the Gallery will be aware. I have complained about the heat and I have been told that the OPW has been called to sort out the issue. We will have to arrange to change rooms if this situation continues because we will probably meet here for six or seven hours. It is very difficult to concentrate on proceedings when one is as warm as we are at the moment.

I would like to extend, on behalf of the committee, a warm welcome to our witnesses - warm being the operative word - for this afternoon's meeting. I welcome Professor Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, President-Elect of the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and author of the report on the death of Savita Hallappanvar. I also welcome Dr. Peter Boylan, Chair, Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and Dr. Meabh Ní Bhuinneain, obstetrician and gynaecologist, Mayo University Hospital, Castlebar, County Mayo. I do not know if she is a Mayo woman but she is in the right county. All of the witnesses are very welcome to this afternoon's meeting.

Before we commence formal proceedings, and at the risk of boring some members, I must go through the formalities. I wish to advise the witnesses about privilege. 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. However, if they are directed by the committee 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, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

Members are reminded of the long-standing ruling of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I invite Professor Arulkumaran to make his presentation.