Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Apologies have been received from the Chair, Deputy McHugh, Deputy Calleary and Senator Keogan. In accordance with current guidelines, all documentation for the meeting has been circulated to members using the Microsoft Teams platform. I remind members that our work this morning will be in two separate sessions and we will subsequently have a private session briefly to discuss internal matters. I ask members to bear with us.

We resume our consideration of cybersecurity, and on behalf of the committee, I wish to welcome to our deliberations Mr. Juhan Lepassaar, executive director of the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, ENISA.

Before we begin, I have to do the tedious task of reading a note on privilege. All witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable or to otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of any person or entity. Therefore, if the witnesses’ statements are potentially defamatory of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with such direction. For witnesses attending remotely outside of the Leinster House campus, there are limitations to parliamentary privilege and as such they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as a witness who is physically present. Witnesses participating in this committee session from a jurisdiction outside of the State are advised that they should be also mindful of the domestic law as they give evidence.

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 of the Houses of the Oireachtas or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. Again, I remind members that they must be within the Leinster House complex to participate and anybody outside might identify themselves as such.

The tedious bit is done. I invite Mr. Lepassaar to make his opening statement to the committee.