Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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I welcome our witnesses attending today.

I welcome Dr. Sharon Lambert, from the School of Applied Psychology, UCC, and the Psychological Society of Ireland; Ms Caroline O’Reilly, addiction counsellor and psychotherapist; and, fromAddiction Counsellors of Ireland,ACI, Dr. James O’Shea, chairperson, Dr. Laura O’Reilly, vice chairperson, and Mr. Jay Collins, secretary. On our agenda today is engagement on the topic of intergenerational trauma.

All witnesses and members are reminded of the 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 or her identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, witnesses and members will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

I remind members of the constitutional requirement that in order to participate in public meetings, members must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex. Members of the committee attending remotely must do so from within the precincts of Leinster House. This is due to the constitutional requirement that in order to participate in public meetings, members must be physically present within the confines of the place where the Parliament has chosen to sit. In this regard, I ask any member partaking via MS Teams that prior to making their contribution to the meeting they confirm they are on the grounds of the Leinster House campus.

This is our fourth hearing in public session. All the opening statements have been circulated among members and will be published on the Oireachtas website after this session. As we agreed, we will limit each opening statement to five minutes to allow plenty of time for questions and answers. I am aware that a wide range of issues will be the subject of the discussion today. If necessary, further and more detailed information on certain issues can be sent to the clerk of the committee for circulation to members. Members will be in and out of the committee room, so I ask witnesses not to read into that. Unfortunately, we have not yet mastered the art of bilocation.

I invite Dr. Lambert to give her opening statement.