Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I remind members to ensure their mobile telephones are switched off for the duration of the meeting. Even on silent mode, they interfere with the broadcasting equipment. Are the minutes of the meeting of 21 January agreed? Agreed.

On behalf of the committee, I welcome: Ms Heather Cousins, deputy secretary of the skills and education group at the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy; Mr. Ian McKenna, principal officer at the international co-operation unit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Dr. Vivienne Patterson, head of skills, engagement and statistics with the Higher Education Authority, HEA; and Mr. Andrew Brownlee, CEO of SOLAS, and his colleague, Ms Nessa White, executive director of transformation, who is in the Public Gallery. The witnesses are here to brief us on North-South enrolment in tertiary education.

Today is a special day, with Ms Cousins joining us from the Northern Ireland Civil Service. This is the first time an Oireachtas committee meeting has had civil servants from both jurisdictions briefing members. Ms Cousins is very welcome.

The format of the meeting will be that I will invite each of the officials to make a brief opening statement in the following order: Ms Cousins, Mr. McKenna, Dr. Patterson and Mr. Brownlee. This will be followed by questions from committee members. Given the time constraints, members will each have a five-minute slot to ask questions and obtain responses from the witnesses. The committee will publish the witnesses' opening statements after the meeting.

Before we begin, I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. Witnesses 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 a person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed by the Chair to discontinue their comments. It is imperative that they comply with such direction from the Chair.

I invite Ms Cousins to make her opening statement, for which she has five minutes.