The scale of the mess is beyond anything that had to be faced previously. All governments have a difficult task at the start. We face major problems. However, we have the advantage of coming into government with a clear charter in the common programme of our two parties, worked out on the basis of our two election programmes and between which there existed such a wide measure of common agreement. In fact, one of the first tasks I undertook after the election was to prepare a concordance of the two and in going over the several hundred items involved it was encouraging to find the extent to which we found ourselves in agreement—as we had found ourselves in agreement so often on the Opposition benches in the past four years on very many issues against the Government of the day.
There were matters to be sorted out and different approaches to be reconciled but none of these posed an insuperable problem. The reception generally to the common programme has indicated clearly how much common ground there was and reconciliation of the different approaches has met with a wide measure of public acceptance. It provides a basis for sound government—sound government but reforming government. In the past four years two Fianna Fáil administrations did little or nothing in the area of reform where the previous National Coalition had been so active. Fianna Fáil have left behind them so much to be done that this Dáil will have to become the hardest working Dáil, as was the Dáil when the National Coalition Government were in power, in terms of the volume of legislation enacted and the amount of work done.
I am glad to have assembled a team whose talents will see us through this difficult period. I believe we can overcome the difficulties that have been left to us and I believe that in doing this we will get the support of the people. It is clear that tough measures will be needed but I believe we will get their support because the decision of the electorate was that they were tired of not being governed and they wanted to be governed. We shall govern by the process of listening and leading. We shall not cut ourselves off from the people. We shall remain sensitive to their views and wishes as we have sought to be in Opposition. In keeping in touch with the wishes and desires of the people, at the same time we shall give the leadership that is needed but which has been absent during the past 18 months of the former disastrous Government. I have to say these things at this stage because of what the former Taoiseach said and also because I think the country needs to be told how difficult is the situation. The full measure of this will have to await a fuller study of the situation.
I am grateful to those who have given us the support necessary to be in government. I believe we have the support necessary to sustain this Government through difficult times. Like other administrations that did not have an overall majority, this Government will see through their term of office. There have been some such governments that have done very good work. As I have had occasion to remark recently, one such Government was led by the former Taoiseach's distinguished father-in-law, Deputy Séan Lemass, from 1961 to 1965. That Government put through the Second Economic Programme. They did not face the same problems we face but during the four years they did much good work for the country. I have always recognised that fact and I am willing to say so publicly. I hope when we have completed our term of office in four and a half or five years' time we will have behind us a record, first, of having put the finances of the country in order, and second, of having put us back on to the path of prosperity with employment available which so many people are now deprived of and, third, a record of social reform which will improve upon that of the National Coalition Government and give the people grounds upon which to return us to office so that during the eighties the country may be led by a Government competent in carrying out their functions, concerned for the least privileged and concerned to create in our society something better than the materialistic society which has grown up so rapidly in recent years.
I should like to say a word about Northern Ireland. I shall, as Taoiseach, dedicate myself to this problem which for me has always been a major preoccupation. It will come first as far as I am concerned and I will ensure that it will come first as far as the Government are concerned. Nothing in this State can take precedence over trying to resolve the tragedy of Northern Ireland. Whatever action and leadership is needed and however unpopular that action may be we will take it. If there are times when it is best to be silent in order to help a solution and there are voices calling on us to speak and if by speaking we could do damage, we will have the courage to be silent. When there are times to speak out and speak out strongly we will do so and seek to reestablish the relationship that was created under the previous Coalition Government with both sections of the community in Northern Ireland and that had existed previous to that with one section of the community but not the other.
We will endeavour to strengthen our links with the minority who have suffered so deeply in the last 12 years and reestablish the link with as wide as possible a spectrum of the majority section of the community. It is only through the development of personal links, trust and confidence between the people and the political leaders of the two sections of our island that we will resolve the problem. Through that and the co-operation of the Government of the neighbouring island which has been brought into discussions with us—and I acknowledge this freely—by the leader of the Opposition as Taoiseach, those discussions will be continued and, I hope, brought to a successful conclusion which will strengthen the relationship between our two islands which have shared so much history, most of it, unfortunately, tragic but which has left strong links between us upon which we can build. In establishing those links we should be concerned above all to maintain the trust and confidence of both sections of the community in Northern Ireland. To create that trust and confidence and build on it will be our primary aim.
I express the hope that when my time comes to leave politics something significant will have been achieved towards reuniting the people of the country. It is only in recent years that most of us have come to understand that that is the task. It is a question of bringing together people and not reuniting territory. That is the task we have to tackle and I dedicate myself to it. I say to the people of the State that, if necessary, it will take precedence over domestic matters here, even if that is not the popular thing to do. At the same time we will tackle domestic problems with energy and dedication so as to recreate financial stability and prosperity and create a caring society. Much of the sense of community and people helping each other which was such a deep characteristic of Irish society of long ago has been lost and must be restored. We will endeavour through our leadership to do that.
I thank the House for its indulgence in listening to our necessarily extempore remarks during the pressures of the last few hours. There is another item of business to be dealt with before we adjourn. For the benefit of the House, I should say it is my intention that we resume next week. There is legislation carried over from the previous administration which needs to be put through. The proposals are non-controversial in character. They were proposed by the previous administration and were acceptable to us so they should not be controversial. We will have legislative proposals to make in order to put into effect as early as possible the programme set before the electorate.
Those aspects of the programme which relate to issues of income taxation have to await a budget in the income tax year but there are other proposals relating to agriculture, industry, tourism, third level education, reconstruction grants and so on which we want to put into effect as soon as possible. It will be necessary to introduce legislation to raise money for this purpose because there is no question at this stage of any increase in borrowing. I understand, from a brief encounter with the press before I came here, that there had been remarks on this subject today from a very authoritative source. I have not had a chance to study that but any legislative action we take or action by other means to fulfil our programme will require finance to be provided and we will be introducing measures along the lines set out in our programme. I cannot say any more at this stage until I have had a chance to study the financial situation.
The Dáil will meet next week. It will be necessary to make an order to revert to the hours that the Dáil has been working for some time past. Technically the hours are until 10.30 p.m. and we must take some action to revert to the 8.30 p.m. pattern which by general consensus of the House has been operating successfully. I am not sure what that action is but someone will advise me on the exact terms of what I have to move.
There is another item of business which the Tánaiste will bring before the House in a moment.
