Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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I welcome our witnesses and members to this meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Today we are meeting with representatives of the National Parks and Wildlife Service and we are delighted to have them before the committee today. This is a meeting we had discussed holding for the last year or 18 months and we had to defer a couple of times. We are very pleased that we can proceed with it today. I am delighted to see the witnesses brought a full team with them. From the National Parks and Wildlife Service, we are joined by Mr. Niall Ó Donnchú, director general, Mr. Malachy Corcoran, director of engagement, corporate and specialist supports, Ms Áinle Ní Bhriain, director of international and EU engagement, Ms Caitriona Ryan, director of national parks and nature reserves, Ms Ciara Carberry, director of nature conservation, Dr. Andy Bleasdale, director of scientific advice and research and Ms Sorcha de Brúch, director of licensing, legislation and guidance directorate. Members were circulated the opening statements in advance and I thank the witnesses for providing that information.

We also received documentation in our correspondence today on wildlife updates.

In a quick note on privilege before we start, I remind members of the constitutional requirement that members must be physically present within the confines of the place where Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House, in order to participate in public meetings. Those witnesses attending in the committee room are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their contributions to today's meeting. This means they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything said at the meeting. Both members and witnesses are expected not to abuse the privilege they enjoy and it is my duty as Chair to ensure that this privilege is not abused. Therefore, if witnesses' statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, witnesses will be directed to discontinue their remarks and it is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

Members and witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practices to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or entity outside the Houses, or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

The format for today's meeting will be seven-minute segments for members to ask questions and to get the answers within those seven minutes as well. We will go around the room via a rota. I invite Mr. Ó Donnchú to make his opening statement now.