Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I remind members, witnesses and those in the Public Gallery to ensure their mobile phones are completely turned off. I welcome from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Dr. Cecil Beamish, assistant secretary, Ms Josephine Kelly, principal officer, and Ms Carol Forrest, assistant principal officer, in the sea-fisheries policy and management division. I thank the witnesses for coming before us today to brief us on COM (2018) 149, a proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a multi-annual plan for fish stocks in the western waters and adjacent waters.

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 continue to do so, 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 invite Dr. Beamish to make his opening statement.