Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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Apologies have been received from Deputy Alan Dillon. I welcome: Ms Marissa Ryan, chief executive, and Ms Brenda Kneafsey, advocacy officer for the western region, from Empowering People in Care, EPIC; Ms Niamh McCarthy, head of the national support service for parents of children in care, and Ms Siobhan Greene, director of children's services, from Barnardos; and Ms Jacinta Swann, family support services manager and Ms Iris Mockler, advocacy worker, from Clarecare.

I will go through the normal housekeeping matters. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate in circumstances where he or she is not adhering to that constitutional requirement. If any member attempts to participate from outside the precincts, he or she will be asked to leave the meeting. In this regard, I ask any member who is participating via Microsoft Teams to confirm that he or she is on the Leinster House campus before making his or her contribution.

In advance of inviting our guests to deliver their opening statement, I advise them of the following in respect of parliamentary privilege. Witnesses who are participating from the committee room are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against any person or entity either by name or in such a way as to make him, her it identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory with regard to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction. In the case of witnesses appearing virtually before the committee, there is uncertainty as to whether parliamentary privilege would apply to their evidence from a location outside of the parliamentary precincts of Leinster House. Therefore, if they are directed by me to cease giving evidence in terms of a particular matter, it is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

Each organisation has five minutes speaking time for an opening statement, which will be followed by questions and answers with members. First, is EPIC, then Barnardos and finally Clarecare. I invite Ms Brenda Kneafsey to make the opening statement on behalf of EPIC.