Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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This is the first public hearing of the autumn term. I remind members that we now have the option of being physically present in the committee room or may join the meeting via MS Teams from Leinster House offices, as some of our colleagues are. Of course, members may not participate in the meeting from outside the parliamentary precincts. If joining on Teams, I ask that they mute their microphones when not making a contribution and that they use the raised hand function. In order to limit the risk of spreading Covid, the service encourages all members, visitors and witnesses to be respectful of other people’s physical space and adhere to public health advice.

I would like to welcome the witnesses to our public hearing. I welcome Professor Helen Russell, a member of the expert advisory group to the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality from the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI. Professor Russell is accompanied by her colleagues from the ESRI, namely, Dr. Paul Redmond, who is very welcome, and Dr. Dora Tuda, who is joining via Teams. Our other witness, who I would very much like to welcome, is a great friend of mine, Professor Yvonne Galligan, directory of equality, diversity and inclusion at Technological University, TU, Dublin, and a leading expert on women in leadership. We are grateful to Professors Russell and Galligan and their colleagues for joining us today.

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

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

Before inviting the witnesses to make their opening statements, I wish to again express our gratitude to them for coming in to speak with us. Since the beginning of our work, our focus in this committee has been on how best to implement the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality, which we see as setting out a clear blueprint for change and bringing about a gender equal society. We are focusing today’s hearings on the recommendations on gender equality regarding leadership in politics, public life and the workplace, recommendations 20 to 25, inclusive, and, indeed, pay and workplace conditions, recommendations 32 to 26, inclusive, where appropriate. We are very grateful to our witnesses for coming in to speak with us on those recommendations.

I will call first Professor Russell, who will be followed by Professor Galligan, after which we will open it up to members. I invite Professor Russell to give her opening statement.