Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Apologies have been received from Deputies Carthy, Hourigan and Sherlock. I welcome all of our witnesses to the meeting. Due to the current situation in respect of Covid-19, only the clerk, support staff and I are in the committee room. Members of the committee are attending remotely from within the precincts of Leinster House. This is due to the constitutional requirement that in order to participate in public meetings members must be physically present within the confines of the place where the Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House or the convention centre. I will ask members to confirm their location before contributing to ensure they are complying with that constitutional requirement. The Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, is a permanent witness to the committee and is attending remotely.

Today we examine the 2019 financial statements of the University of Limerick. Areas of interest to members, of which the university's representatives have been made aware, include protected disclosures, the contracting of retired staff, the remuneration and paid notice period of the president, the new student centre and the university's Limerick city campus. We are joined remotely from within the precincts of Leinster House by the following officials from the University of Limerick, UL: Professor Kerstin Mey, interim president; Mr. Andrew Flaherty, director of the human resources division; and Ms Rosemary Fogarty, financial controller in the area of operations. The witnesses are all very welcome and I thank them for the briefing material they have prepared for the committee. When we begin to engage, I will ask members and witnesses to mute themselves when not contributing so that any background noise will not be picked up. As usual, I remind all of those in attendance to have their mobile phones turned off or on silent mode.

Before we start, I wish to explain some limitations regarding parliamentary privilege and the practices of the Houses as regards reference witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. As the witnesses are, within the precincts of Leinster House they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the presentations they make to the committee. This means that they have an absolute defence against any defamation actions in respect of anything they say at the meeting. They are, however, expected not to abuse this privilege. As Chair, it is my duty to ensure it is not abused. Therefore, if the witnesses' statements are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with such directions.

Members are reminded of the provisions of Standing Order 218 that the committee shall refrain from inquiring into the merits of a policy or policies of the Government, or a Minister of the Government, or the merits of the objectives of such policies. Members are also reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against any person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

To assist the broadcasting and debates services, I ask that members direct their questions to a specific witness. If the question is not directed to a specific witness, I ask each witness to identify himself or herself when first contributing.