Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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No apologies have been received. Before we begin, I remind members that in the context of the current Covid-19 restrictions only the Chairman and staff are present in the committee room and all members must join remotely from elsewhere in the parliamentary precincts. The secretariat can issue invitations to join the meeting on Microsoft Teams. Members may not participate in the meeting from outside the parliamentary precincts. Please mute microphones when not making a contribution and use the raise hand function to indicate when you would like to speak. Please note that messages sent to the meeting chat are visible to all participants. Speaking slots will be prioritised for members of the committee.

The agenda today is the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, and young farmers. I would like to welcome the following representatives from Macra na Feirme: Mr. John Keane, president; Mr. Shane Fitzgerald, chair of the agricultural affairs sub-committee; Mr. Derrie Dillon, head of advocacy, membership and policy and acting CEO; and Ms Gillian Richardson, agricultural and rural affairs policy officer, who are all joining remotely. You are all welcome to the meeting. You will be given ten minutes to make your opening statement before going into a question and answer session.

Before we begin, I must read an important notice on parliamentary privilege. Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to the committee. However, if you are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and you continue to do so, you are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You are directed that only evidence connected to the subject matter in these proceedings is to be given. You are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, you 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.

Participants in the committee meeting from a location outside the parliamentary precincts are asked to note that the constitutional protections afforded to those participating within the parliamentary precincts does not extend to them. No clear guidance can be given on whether, or to what extent, such participation is covered by absolute privilege of a statutory nature.

Before Mr. Keane starts his opening statement, I must note that there is a strong possibility that the meeting will be interrupted by votes both in the Seanad and in the Dáil. I propose to members that if the votes do not clash and if Senator Lombard is on the call, he can take the Chair for me if there is a Dáil vote and we can continue the meeting.

I invite Mr. Keane to make his opening statement.