Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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I wish to advise members and everyone else present, including the witnesses, about parliamentary privilege. Parliamentary privilege is considered to apply to the utterances of members participating online in a committee hearing when their participation is from the parliamentary precincts.

There can be no assurances in respect of participation online from outside the parliamentary precincts and members should be mindful of this when they are contributing.

I welcome everyone to this first public meeting of the committee. The remit of the committee is to provide a reasoned response to all 36 recommendations made by the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use within a seven-month timeframe. We hope to engage with a wide range of stakeholders before providing the reasoned response. The committee has held some private meetings to agree a work programme and has agreed to work in modules. It is hoped to complete two modules before the summer recess. Members of the committee are committed to working together and with all those who engage with it to examine the issues raised by the citizens' assembly and in its report.

Drug use is a complex and important issue, as we are all aware. As Cathaoirleach, I will fulfil my duties as set out under Standing Orders, which include allocating time fairly to members to put questions while ensuring witnesses have sufficient time to reply and that contributions are relevant to the matter under discussion.

The purpose of today's meeting is to engage with the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use, which considered this issue over a long period. We are joined by Mr. Paul Reid, chair of the citizens' assembly, Mr. Cathal O’Regan, secretary to the citizens' assembly, Professor Jo-Hanna Ivers and Mr. Brian Galvin, who were members of the advisory support group, and Ms Céire Moynihan and Mr. Graham O'Neill, who were members of the citizens' assembly. I apologise for keeping them waiting. We were attending to housekeeping matters. No disrespect was intended by the delay and I hope none was taken.

I invite Mr. Reid to give his opening statement on behalf of the assembly.