Maria Bailey (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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At the request of the broadcasting and recording services, members and visitors in the Gallery are asked to ensure that, for the duration of the meeting, their mobile phones are switched off completely or switched to airplane, safe or flight mode, depending on the device. It is not sufficient merely to place the phone in silent mode as it will maintain a level of interference with the broadcasting system.

No. 1 on the agenda is further scrutiny COM (2017) 753, proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council on the quality of water intended for human consumption (recast).

I welcome from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Mr. Cian Ó Lionáin and Mr. Colin Byrne; from Irish Water, Mr. Michael O'Leary and Mr. Seán Laffey; from the Enviornmental Protection Agency, Mr. Darragh Page and Ms Aoife Loughnane; and from the National Federation of Group Water Schemes, Mr. Barry Deane and Mr. Brian MacDonald.

Before we begin, I draw attention 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 it 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 or an 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 ask Mr. Ó Lionáin to make his opening statement.