Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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Before we begin, I wish to bring to everyone's attention the fact that witnesses giving evidence from within the parliamentary precincts are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to a committee. This means that they have a full defence in any defamation action for anything said at a committee meeting. However, witnesses are expected not to abuse this privilege and may be directed to cease giving evidence on an issue at the Chair's direction. Witnesses should follow the direction of the Chair in this regard and are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that, as is reasonable, no adverse commentary should be made against an identifiable third person or entity. Witnesses who give evidence from a location outside the parliamentary precincts are asked to note that they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as a witness giving evidence within the parliamentary precincts. They may consider it appropriate to take legal advice on this matter. Privilege against defamation does not apply to publication by them outside the proceedings held by the committee of any matters arising from these proceedings.

The purpose of this section of today's meeting is for the committee to undertake an examination of further scrutiny of EU legislation proposals, namely, COM (2023) 411, a proposal for a regulation on plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques and their food and feed; and amending Regulation (EU) 2017/625.

The committee will hear from the following officials. From the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, we have Dr. Barry O’Reilly, head of crops policy, evaluation and certification division and Mr. Cara Mac Aodháin, agricultural inspector. From the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, we have: Mr. Eoin Deegan, principal officer, environment policy division. From Teagasc we have Dr. Ewen Mullins, principal research officer, head of crop science department. They are all very welcome to this evening's meeting. Each organisation will have five minutes for an opening statement, after which we will proceed to a questions and answers session.