Apologies have been received from Senator O'Loughlin, who is travelling on work-related business today.
Parliamentary privilege is considered to apply to the utterances of members participating online in a committee meeting when their participation is from within the parliamentary precincts. There can be no assurances in relation to participation online from outside the parliamentary precincts and members should be mindful of this when they are contributing.
This is the first meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Assisted Dying. I welcome each and every member and witness to this meeting today. The committee will hold public meetings over the next nine months and engage with a wide range of stakeholders on issues around assisted dying such as ethical and professional issues, the potential safeguards and potential consequences. The committee may recommend that changes are made to existing policy and legislation around assisted dying but it could also recommend that no changes be made. It has already held several private meetings to discuss and agree on a work programme for the duration of this special committee. The members of the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying are committed to working together and with all of those who engage with the committee to examine the issues around assisted dying. It is a very complex and important issue and we are all very well aware of this. As Cathaoirleach, I will fulfil my duties as set out under Standing Orders. This includes allocating time fairly to members to put questions, while ensuring that witnesses have sufficient time to reply to questions asked and ensuring that contributions are relevant to the matter under discussion.