Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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I welcome to our meeting the witnesses from the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. They are joining us by video link to committee room 2 to discuss legislative frameworks in other countries. Dr. Gianni Buquicchio is President of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe. Lord Sumption is a retired justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Both are welcome to our meeting this morning.

I must highlight for Dr. Buquicchio and Lord Sumption that the constitutional protections afforded to witnesses physically attending in the Houses of the Oireachtas before committees may not be extended to witnesses giving evidence from a location outside the parliamentary precincts. No clear guidance can be given on whether, or the extent to which, the evidence given is covered by absolute privilege of a statutory nature.

I call Dr. Buquicchio to make an opening statement, if he is in a position to do so. The video link seems slightly off. If he is in a position to give an opening statement, can I ask that he do so now and that he try to limit his statement to five minutes or so to allow time for questions and answers? It seems there may be technical difficulties. Can Dr. Buquicchio hear me? Could it be that the microphone is muted?

Perhaps we will move to Lord Sumption, if that is okay. Can Lord Sumption give an opening statement? If he could limit it to five minutes to allow time for questions and answers, we would greatly appreciate it. Can you hear me, Lord Sumption?