[Oireachtas]
Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: discussion (resumed).
(13 Feb 2014)
Chairman: Apologies have been received from Deputy Seamus Healy and Senators John Crown, Imelda Henry and Marc MacSharry. Deputy Kelleher will be late arriving as he must attend another meeting after being in the Dáil. I thank members for facilitating the postponement of today's start time until 11 a.m. given that there was a clash with questions on health in the Dáil.
Before we begin our deliberations on the heads of the tobacco plain packaging Bill, I remind people to switch off their mobile telephones or put them in flight mode. That applies to members of the committee, witnesses and people in the Public Gallery. I apologise in advance because I may have leave to speak in the Dáil at some stage.
As members and witnesses will be aware, this morning we will conclude our deliberations on the general scheme of the Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill, which was referred to the committee for consideration before Christmas. We have had a very thorough and good examination of the heads of the Bill. This morning we will hear from members of the industry. It is important that we, as a committee, take time to deliberate on the matter.
I welcome the delegations from P.J. Carroll and Company Limited, John Player & Sons Limited, JTI Ireland Limited and Forest Éireann. I will name witnesses as we go along and they give their presentations. They are all very welcome and I thank them for being here this morning. I also thank them for allowing us to change the start time for the meeting which may have inconvenienced them.
Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, 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 are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice and ruling of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.
I remind members that we will conduct private business on Tuesday afternoon as part of our meeting then.
I invite Mr. Steven Donaldson, general manager, P.J. Carroll and Company Limited, to address the meeting and he is very welcome.
[For the full debate, click on here. For day one of the discussion, click on the related link below]
