Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 20 February 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection

Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Photo of John CurranJohn Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, and her officials. I will invite the Minister to make her opening statement in a moment, after which I am sure members will have a number of questions for her.

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 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. Once again, I ask that mobile phones be turned off.