Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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Apologies have been received from Deputy Alan Farrell. On behalf of the committee, I welcome members of the Children and Young People's Assembly on Biodiversity Loss to the meeting: Niamh, Elsie, Oisín, Eleanor, Conor and David. I also welcome our visitors in the Public Gallery. By way of introduction, my name is Brian Leddin. I am a Green Party TD for Limerick. I was elected to the Dáil in 2020 and have been Cathaoirleach of the joint committee since September of that year.

The committee was referred the report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss for our consideration in June of this year. We have undertaken a robust examination of the assembly’s work to inform the drafting of our own report, with recommendations for the Government, which we expect to publish in the coming weeks. As part of that examination, the committee has agreed to continue its dialogue with young people in recognition of the key role they play in tackling climate change, having held a number of engagements with young people in the Seanad Chamber last year. We look forward to hearing the perspectives of the young people before us today and having a meaningful engagement with them.

As I do at the start of every meeting, I will read out the note on privilege. The witnesses should not worry about it too much. It is to remind our guests that we have a 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 name of that person or entity. If witnesses' statements are potentially problematic or defamatory, I will ask them to stop at that point. They will have to listen to me, basically, and comply with any such direction.

I will now hand over to Niamh.