Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I welcome everyone here this evening. I propose that the meeting will follow the following order. We will resume our discussion with An Post on the post office network that took place on 17 January. We will then have a five minute break to allow the witnesses to leave the room and then resume in private session. Next we will have another five minute break to allow a new witness to take his seat. We will resume in public session at 7 p.m. when we will talk to Mr. Geoffrey Meagher, Chairman Designate, Bord na Móna. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I draw the attention of witnesses to the fact 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 the committee. However, if they are directed by the chairperson to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a 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 they are 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.

I also wish to advise witnesses that any submission or opening statements they have made to the committee will be published on the committee website after this meeting.

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 remind witnesses and members to turn off their mobile phones or turn them to flight mode.

I welcome the witnesses here this evening. We have officials from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. We also have representatives from the following stakeholders: An Post; the post office network business development group; the Irish Postmasters' Union and Age Action Ireland Limited. This will be followed by a questions and answers session with the members.

The committee last engaged with stakeholders on 17 January and wrote to the Taoiseach recommending that a single Minister should be responsible for An Post and the post office network.

I understand that has now happened and the Department of Rural and Community Development is still responsible for investigating the Sparkassen model and how it might apply in Ireland and in particular to An Post and the post office network. The witnesses' opening statements and presentations were circulated to the committee and will be published on the committee website after the meeting.

We have received apologies from the Communications Workers' Union, CWU, and Tico Mail which were also invited to the meeting today. Mr. Pigot would like the letter he forwarded to the committee to be noted and circulated to committee members.

I will start with the first witness from each organisation. If they want to introduce other speakers from their organisations they should do so as they go along. We will start with the witnesses from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. They are Ms Patricia Cronin, assistant secretary, and Ms Barbara Leeson, principal officer, both of the corporate governance division.