James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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As we have done with a number of meetings in recent times, we are having a hybrid session with some members and witnesses in the room, and some members and witnesses online. We are all getting used to the new normal. This is how we are doing things now and it is working quite well. I ask those who are joining us online to keep their microphones on mute when not speaking and obviously take it off mute when speaking. I ask members and witnesses appearing in person or online to put their mobile phones on airplane mode because, even though it may not appear so at the time, it can interfere with the recording afterwards.

The purpose of today's meeting is to have an engagement with a number of stakeholders, all of whom have made submissions to the committee on the topic of rehabilitative opportunities within the prison system. The topic was nominated by the committee. The committee takes elective modules as part of its work. Our programme of work is driven largely by governmental requirements and different pieces of legislation. We also have modules of our own interest within the committee which we try to explore and this is one of those. It is taken from the committee's work programme under prisons and probation, and examining penal reform and prisoner supports.

From the Irish Prison Service, I welcome Ms Caron McCaffrey, director general; Mr. Fergal Black, director of care and rehabilitation; and Mr. Ciaron McCauley, programme manager to the director general. From the Irish Penal Reform Trust, I welcome Ms Sarahjane McCreery, senior policy and research officer; and Ms Molly Joyce, acting executive director. Mr. Warren Graham is joining us from Loughan House prison. We are also joined by Ms Ethel Gavin, former prison governor of the Midlands Prison; and Mr. Eddie Mullins, governor of Mountjoy Prison.

I will outline the usual rules for parliamentary privilege. Witnesses and members 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, her or it identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. If their comments are potentially defamatory, they will be directed to discontinue such remarks.

The usual privilege that extends to in-person meetings is a somewhat grey area with regard to remote participation. We think it is covered, but the question of how privilege extends online has yet to be tested. We are proceeding on the basis that we have given the usual housekeeping message and that should suffice. I think members are all aware of the new rules.

Each organisation or individual will be invited to make a brief opening statement not exceeding three minutes. If they run over, I will stop them after three minutes to move on to the next person. They will be given plenty of time. There will be many opportunities over the course of the meeting to go far beyond the three minutes and they will be able to come in and out on different matters as the meeting progresses. Once we have taken initial statements from each of the witnesses and groups we will then go to members and each member will be given a seven-minute slot. Each member can speak for seven minutes. Whether the member wishes to give us a seven-minute monologue or whether the member wants to give one minute of questions and have six minutes of answers is entirely up to each member. Everybody here is entitled to use the time as they wish. Questions and answers are included. When we reach seven minutes, I will move on to the next member. I just wanted to make sure that witnesses, in particular, were aware of how that works.

I look forward to what I expect to be a very interesting engagement. I call on Ms McCaffrey who has three minutes to make her opening remarks.