Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I remind members and delegates to turn off their mobile phones as interference from them affects the transmission of the proceedings.

I welcome the Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, who is accompanied by Mr. John Kinnane, Mr. Brendan O'Leary, Mr. Stephen McDonagh and Fearghal Ó Brolcháin. I thank them for making themselves available to the select committee. They had a prior engagement and I appreciate their rescheduling it to accommodate the committee. We acknowledge the Minister's willingness to regularly come before it. This is it's final public meeting before the recess. Earlier we engaged in some productive work on our interim budget statement. We are meeting the Minister to discuss the summer economic statement which was published in June.

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 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 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.