Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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The joint committee is meeting today in public session to continue with its pre-legislative scrutiny of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025. On behalf of the committee I welcome Professor Ben Tonra from University College Dublin, Mr. Joe Noonan, solicitor, and Mr. Ciarán Murphy, former assistant secretary of the Department of Defence. The witnesses are with us today to discuss the general scheme of the Bill. I will invite each witness to make an opening statement to be followed by questions from members of the committee. Each member has a five minute slot to ask questions and for witnesses to respond.

I advise members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate where he or she is not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Any member who attempts to participate from outside of the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting. In this regard, I ask members participating via Microsoft Teams to formally confirm that they are on the grounds of the Leinster House campus prior to contributing to the meeting. Members and witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity either 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 the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks and it is imperative that they comply with any such direction. As the witnesses will probably be aware, the committee will publish their opening statements on its website following the meeting. I now invite Professor Tonra to make his opening statement, to be followed by Mr. Noonan and then Mr. Murphy.