I welcome the following: Mr. Ciaran Phelan, chief executive, Irish Brokers Association; Mr. Aidan McLoughlin, managing director of the Independent Trustee Company and chairman of the Irish Brokers Association's pensions committee; Ms Linda Gallagher, First Ireland; Mr. Tom Berrigan, Davy; Mr. Gavin Howlin, Willis; and Mr. Frank Lahiffe, Lahiffe & Associates Public Affairs & Political Communications. They are present to discuss issues and initiatives associated with private pensions.
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.
By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to this committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in regard to a particular matter and continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should neither criticise nor make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.