Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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We will resume in public session. A member of the committee has asked that if we have not finished our business by 2.45 p.m. that we go into private session to discuss a couple of issues he wants to raise. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We will resume our discussion of the accessibility of public transport for people with disabilities. This is the second of our meetings. We met on 13 December 2017 with Senator John Dolan, Ms Joan Carthy, Mr. Chris White, Mr. Eddie Redmond, Ms Sarah Lennon and Dr. Margaret Kennedy, who represented a number of organisations, including the Disability Federation of Ireland, the Irish Wheelchair Association, the National Council for the Blind, the Irish Deaf Society and Inclusion Ireland. Dr. Kennedy is a disability activist. The purpose of today's meeting is to continue the discussion with a range of transport operators which have been invited to appear to discuss the accessibility of public transport for people with disabilities, the current status and future provision and to respond to the matters raised during the committee's previous hearing on this topic on 13 December 2017.

I will welcome the witnesses in the order in which we propose to hear their submissions. That order has been prepared by the committee's wonderful staff and there is no particular reason for it. The order is Ray Coyne, CEO, and Ms Clíodhna Ní Fhátharta, media and communications manager, Dublin Bus. From Iarnród Éireann, Mr. Jim Meade, operations director; from Bus Éireann, Mr. Ray Hernan, acting CEO, and Mr. John Sheridan, service manager, east region; from Transdev, Mr. Seamus Egan, performance director; and from the Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland, Mr. Kevin Traynor and Mr. John Halpenny. That is the order in which I propose to call the witnesses.

Before we commence and for the information of witnesses in attendance, I am obliged to read the note on 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 the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee 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.

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 now invite Mr. Coyne, chief executive officer of Dublin Bus, to make his opening statement.