Committees of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Compellability, Privileges and Immunities of Witnesses) Act, 1997

Right of audience, etc., of certain persons before committees.

10.—(1) Where, in the course of proceedings before a committee, a person is referred to by name or in such other manner as to be capable of being identified, the person may give evidence, and produce or send documents, to it and may, in person or through a legal or other representative—

(a) with the consent of the committee, appear before, and make submissions (including submissions in writing) to, the committee,

(b) request the committee—

(i) to direct specified persons to attend before the committee to give evidence to it, and

(ii) to procure, by direction, the production or sending of specified documents to it,

and

(c) examine witnesses before the committee pursuant to paragraph (b) and, with the consent of the committee, cross-examine other witnesses before it,

for the purpose of—

(i) correcting any mistake of fact or misstatement relating to or affecting the person made in the proceedings,

(ii) defending the person in relation to any allegation or charge, or defamatory or untrue statement, made in the proceedings, or

(iii) protecting and vindicating the personal and other rights of the person.

(2) Where, in the course of proceedings before a committee, a person who is not present at the sitting concerned is referred to by name or in such other manner as to be capable of being identified, the committee shall, if, in the interests of justice, it considers it appropriate to do so, cause a transcript of the relevant part of the proceedings to be furnished to the person.

(3) A committee shall comply with a request under paragraph (b) of subsection (1) or give its consent under that subsection if it considers that, in the interests of justice, it is necessary or expedient to do so for any of the purposes specified in that subsection.