Apologies have been received from Senator Ní Chuilinn. The meeting has been convened today with representatives from Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, Local Ireland, NewsBrands Ireland, Community Radio Ireland and DCU's Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society for the committee's second public engagement as it undertakes pre-legislative scrutiny of the revised general scheme of the broadcasting (amendment) Bill. I warmly welcome the following witnesses: Mr. John Purcell, chair, and Mr. Michael Kelly, chief executive, Independent Broadcasters of Ireland; Mr. Bob Hughes, executive director, Local Ireland; Ms Deirdre Veldon, vice chair and Ms Sammi Bourke, chair, NewsBrands Ireland; Mr. Brian Greene, chair, Community Radio Ireland; Ms Jackie O'Neill, compliance and development co-ordinator, Community Radio Ireland; and Dr. Roderick Flynn, associate professor and chair of school of communications studies at DCU, on behalf of DCU's Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society. They are all very welcome.
The format of today's meeting is that I will invite our witnesses to deliver an opening statement, which is limited to four minutes. That will then be followed by questions from members of the committee. As the witnesses are probably aware, the committee may publish the opening statements on its web page, which we propose to do. Is that agreed? Agreed.
Before I proceed to questions from members of the committee, I would like to clarify some limitations with regard to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses as regards references witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. The evidence of witnesses physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected pursuant to both the Constitution and statute by absolute privilege in respect of the presentation they make to the committee. This means that they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say at the meeting. However, they are expected not to abuse this privilege, and it is my duty as Chair to ensure that this privilege is not abused. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory with regard to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.
Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.
I propose that we now proceed with the opening statements in the following order: Mr. John Purcell, Independent Broadcasters Ireland; Mr. Bob Hughes, Local Ireland, Ms Sammi Bourke, NewsBrands Ireland; a joint statement from Mr. Brian Greene and Ms Jackie O'Neill, Community Radio Ireland; and Dr. Roderick Flynn, DCU's Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society. They have four minutes each, and we will be pretty precise on that. We will begin with Mr. Purcell.