Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The purpose of today's engagement is to conduct detailed scrutiny of the Multi-Party Actions Bill 2017, a Private Members' Bill sponsored by Deputies Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire and Pearse Doherty. We are joined by Mr. Dave Coleman, solicitor with Coleman Legal Partners, Mr. Eilis Barry and Mr. Paul Joyce from FLAC, and Dr. Joanne Blennerhassett of the Sutherland School of Law, UCD. We are also joined in the Visitors' Gallery by Mr. Paddy Coleman and Ms Kelley Monks from Coleman Legal Partners, and by Ms Caroline Smith and Ms Ali Williams of FLAC. I welcome them all warmly. It is only appropriate that I apologise because the commencement time indicated was a little earlier than we could cope with. We have been talking to our support team about that and we hope the problem will not recur. I hope the coffee was up to standard.

The format of the meeting is that I will first ask Deputy Ó Laoghaire to address the committee on the Bill, and we will then hear opening statements from our witnesses. We will then open up the discussion so members may ask questions and make contributions.

Under the salient rulings of the Chair, members should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official by name in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. 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 committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they 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 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 invite Deputy Ó Laoghaire to make his opening statement.