Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We are joined by representatives of Down Syndrome Cork, Down Syndrome Carlow and the West Cork Down Syndrome Support Group. I welcome them to the meeting and we look forward to engaging with them. Many members are attending online, so there will some in the room and others online.

I will take us through some housekeeping matters. I advise anyone who is attending online via MS Teams that its chat function should only be used to make us aware of technical issues or urgent matters and not to make general statements or comments during the meeting. 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 cannot permit anyone who is not adhering to this requirement to ask questions. I ask members who partake via MS Teams that, prior to making their contributions, they confirm that they are on the grounds of the Leinster House complex.

In advance of inviting our guests to deliver their opening statements, I wish to advise them of the following in respect of parliamentary privilege. For witnesses who are participating from the committee room, they are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect 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. Therefore, if their 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 any such direction. For witnesses who are participating virtually, I must point out that there is uncertainty over whether parliamentary privilege applies to evidence given from a location outside the parliamentary precincts of Leinster House.

We will give each group five minutes of speaking time, after which we will open the floor to questions from members. That completes our housekeeping.

I invite Ms Steinmetz to make her opening statement.