In accordance with tradition, I will allow the Taoiseach to speak first.
Returns to Writs: Constituencies of Donegal North-East and Dublin West. - Introduction of New Members.
The Clerk of the Dáil made the following announcement:
I gcomhlíonadh Bhuan-Ordú 142 de na Buan-Orduithe i dtaobh Gnó Phoiblí, tá orm a chraoladh go ndearnadh, sna Corrthoghcháin a bhí ann an doú lá d'Aibreán, míle naoi gcéad nócha a sé, de chionn an Teachta Niall Bléine agus an Teachta Brian Ó Luineacháin d'fháil bháis, na comhaltaí seo a leanas a thoghadh don Dáil:
In compliance with Standing Order 142 of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business, I have to announce that at the by-elections held on 2 April 1996, consequent on the deaths of Deputies Neil T. Blaney and Brian Lenihan, the following Members have been elected to the Dáil:—
Dáilcheantar Dhún na nGall Thoir Thuaidh
Constituency of Donegal North-East — Cecilia Keaveney
Dáilcheantar Bháile Athá Cliath Thiar
Constituency of Dublin West — Brian Lenihan.
Deputies Cecilia Keaveney and Brian Lenihan were introduced to the Ceann Comhairle by Deputy Dermot Ahern.
I thank Deputy Ahern for the courtesy. I extend hearty congratulations to Deputies Cecilia Keaveney and Brian Lenihan on being elected to this House. I was elected at a comparatively young age and know it to be a very exciting experience to enter this House on one's first day as a Member. It must be all the more rewarding for both of them to feel they are continuing or completing the work of a much loved parent. In both cases their fathers served this House very well and were much loved by all Members, one having had the privilege of serving for a very long time, the other for a lesser period. Both were greatly admired for their work. I know that these new Members will continue that admirable work.
It is a day of great celebration for both, one on which each must be looking forward to their work and attainments as public representatives representing their respective constituencies. Also it is a great day for their supporters gathered in the Public Gallery who can barely restrain themselves. While we on this side of the House, worked tirelessly to ensure that they were not elected, we vicariously share in the sense of enjoyment, happiness and celebration of their supporters on their success.
Warmest contratulations to both new Members, to their party leader, Deputy Bertie Ahern, and all associated with their success.
Is mór an onir domsa mar Cheannaire ar Fhianna Fáil fáilte agus fiche a chur roimh an bheirt Teachta Dála nua de chuid Fhianna Fáil, Cecilia Keaveney agus Brian Lenihan. Cuireann sé áthas agus bród ar gach ball d'Fhianna Fáil ar fud an tíre gur éirigh linn an dá shuíochán seo a breith ag an am céanna, rud nar tharla le scór bliana.
As the Taoiseach has said, it is an honour for any Members to take his or her seat in this House. Needless to say, as Leader of the Fianna Fáil Party, it is a great honour for me to welcome two new Members to the House, both having fought hard to have the initials "TD" appended to their names. Both will have had much family experience of politics through their respective fathers who between them served a long period, Deputy Cecilia Keaveney's father for a short period and Deputy Brian Lenihan's father for a much longer one. They replace two great people, Neil Blaney and Brian Lenihan whom we remember fondly today.
I thank all who worked so hard on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party to achieve their victories, their families who will know what politics is all about and their supporters, old and new, who have been campaigning over many years. I also want to thank all those who gave them their No. 1 preference vote and those candidates whose votes were transferred to them.
No doubt both new Members will be very conscious of what is expected of them. They have learned during the campaign of the rigours of political life. Sometimes politics is a much maligned profession, but Members see it as a worthwhile vocation in which they believe. We are proud to serve, which is why we spend so much of our lives endeavouring to achieve worthty objectives. It is my hope that these two new Members will find it a worthy occupation, even if at times they wonder if it is so. They should forget about those times and remember that at the end of their term people will always say nice things about them, though that may not be the case during it. Today all Members unite in saying they are great people and at the end they will do the same. In between is a matter for themselves.
Although on this occasion my party is the victor, I acknowledge the efforts of the supporters of all the other candidates, many of whom in the course of the count may have thought they would be here today. I should like to remember and thank them also because all of their efforts encapsulate the ups and downs of political life. Meeting them in the course of political campaigning, one is very much aware of their feelings. They are people who subscribe to the democratic process and should not be forgotten on a day like this.
Since the end of this Dáil is not too far distant, as the Fianna Fáil Front Bench, Parliamentary Party, national executive and all our supporters prepare to take our places on the opposite side of the House, I hope these two new Members will work assiduously to ensure that we and they are returned in 12 months' time.
We congratulate both and wish them well — Cecilia for her great success in Donegal North-East and Brian in Dublin West. I also thank our director of elections, Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher, who worked so hard in Donegal and Deputy Noel Dempsey on his efforts in Dublin West, Deputy McDaid, Senators and other public representatives in Donegal, Deputy Liam Lawlor and other public representatives in Dublin West on their achievement.
Guím gach bua agus beannachtaí ar an mbeirt Teachta nua Dála agus fad saol mar Teachtai Dála do bhuid Fianna Fáil.
On behalf of the Labour Party, I congratulate the Fianna Fáil Party on the election of their two new Members who won the democratic mandate to be represented in this House. Frequently we tend to take for granted, perhaps in a disparaging way, the reality not shared by many others worldwide — a modern, developed, functioning democracy based on party politics, the rule of law and the ballot box, a democratic system not merely respected but actively engaged in by a wide range of citizens, the vast majority of whom devote much of their free time voluntarily to that end.
I acknowledge the work of all parties to enable the system to function. Without the people in the gallery, whose presence I acknowledge, and people throughout the country, we would not have a functioning democracy. This is a celebration for everybody but particularly for the two newly elected Deputies.
I too congratulate the two new Deputies on behalf of the Progressive Democrats Party. As the Taoiseach and Deputy Bertie Ahern said these two young Deputies follow a proud family tradition. I am sure their families are very proud of their achievements. I am sure they will find their work in this House very challenging and satisfying. It is a great honour to be elected at such a young age to represent the people of Donegal North East and Dublin West. As the only leader of a party that is gender balanced I am pleased we have another woman in the Dáil. In each of the three most recent by-elections, a woman was elected and that is very good indeed. I look forward to the election of many more women at the next general election.
Both Deputies may well know that other than today the next time nice things may be said about them is when they unfortunately pass away, so they should not get too carried away with today's nice words. Neither should they get too comfortable in their seats because there will be a general election before too long — one only has to look at how unhappy the Government is to realise that.
Sleep easy.
I wish them both well. I congratulate them and the Fianna Fáil Party on their great achievement. I am delighted it is the Opposition number that is increasing.
There were a few non-runners.
I would like to say a few words on behalf of Joe Higgins.
I welcome the two new Deputies to the House. As has been said already it is a good time to be involved in politics and to be here. Despite what has been said, the new Deputies have at least 18 months to find their way around.
Until you whistle.
I was not in a position to assist the new Deputies to get elected in the recent by-elections and I will make sure that not too many more Fianna Fáil Deputies come into the House.
Ba mhaith liom thar cheann an Chomhaontais Ghlas fáilte a chur roimh an bheirt Teachta Dála nua, an Teachta Brian Lenihan agus an Teachta Cecilia Keaveney. Bhíomar ag troid go tréan leo ach bhí an bua acu agus bhí sé cothrom. Tá áthas orm to bhfuil said anseo in ainneoin sin.
It is a great pleasure to welcome two new Deputies to the Dáil and to get to know them a little better than was possible on the election trail. When as the sole member of the Green Party I need to be given time to speak in the Dáil I hope Fianna Fáil will remember that the transfers from the Green Party went some way to help it in Dublin West.
This is a very important day for my constituency and for my party. Twenty years ago the late Paddy Keaveney was elected to this House in a by-election and Cecilia was just seven years old. This is her first day in Leinster House. Members have many ups and downs but to date this is the most pleasant duty I have had to perform. I am sure she and Deputy Brian Lenihan will serve this House with the dignity of their fathers and that she will be a worthy successor to the late Deputy Neil Blaney whose seat she now fills.
Contratulations Cecilia agus céad mile fáilte. I hope Deputy Brian Lenihan and she will have many happy years in this House. I hope also that I will accompany her back to this House after the next general election.
I was tempted to speak during the tribute to the late Gerry L'Estrange but I paid tribute to him in the national newspapers. Deputy Cecilia Keaveney replaces the late Deputy Neil Blaney and Deputy Brian Lenihan replaces the late Deputy Brian Lenihan. If there is a spiritual world those two gentlemen and Gerry L'Estrange are laughing at us here. I would like to hear that they are saying to each other.
I join Deputy McDaid in welcoming Cecilia. As one of the longest serving Deputies — a privilege I share with you a Cheann Comhairle — I wish Cecilia Keaveney, long life and I hope she will serve the people of Donegal in a fitting manner. With the Members on this side of the House, I will do everything possible to ensure that her time here is very short, but things being what they are, I have no control over that. While Cecilia is a Member of this House I wish her every success and happiness.
I congratulate Deputy Cecilia Keaveney, her family and friends who have travelled a long distance to be here today and I wish her every success. I congratulate, too, Deputy Brian Lenihan. This joyful day for him and his family has sad overtones for his mother and Deputy O'Rourke. Having been on the same ticket as Deputy Brian Lenihan since 1977, I know how they feel today. I would not know what to do in Dublin West without a Brian Lenihan in the Dáil. I am delighted Brian has been successful. We will continue where his late father left off and retain two seats for the Fianna Fáil Party.
On behalf of the Labour Party in Dublin West I offer my warmest congratulations to Brian Lenihan. I concur with Deputy Lawlor that it is very pleasant to continue to have a Lenihan in Dublin West. Many of the Deputies who visited Dublin West — I recall that Deputy Bertie Ahern had a close encounter with a wandering horse during the canvass — will have seen the opportunities and problems it presents. I hope when it comes to constituency matters Deputy Lenihan will put party differences aside, as did his late father, and we can work together for the citizens of Dublin West. I acknowledge that he is very proud of his father.
I congratulate Deputy Cecilia Keaveney. It is very pleasant to welcome another woman to the Dáil. While she comes from a very distinguished political family I have no doubt but that she will make a contribution to this House in her own right.
It also gives me great personal pleasure to see Deputy Brian Lenihan in the House. He will be aware that his father and I had a long association, even before I entered the House, as he always had a great interest in the affairs of Northern Ireland. The Deputy will remember that when his father died I described him as an adornment to the political process and it gives me great personal pleasure to see his son in the House. It also gives me political pleasure since the transfer of Fine Gael votes was responsible for his election. Like Minister of State, Deputy Burton, I too look forward to co-operation in the constituency in the interest of the people of Dublin West. This has always been the case and will continue in future. I also welcome Deputy Keaveney to the House. I do not know her as well as Deputy Lenihan but I look forward to remedying that deficiency.
On behalf of Deputy Lenihan and myself I thank the Taoiseach, the Leader of the Fianna Fáil Party, the other party leaders and Deputies for their kind words. I also acknowledge the support we received from the parliamentary party and the extended party; their work enabled us to take our seats today. I thank the supporters of other parties who transferred their votes to me as this was also important. I thank my supporters who travelled far today and who worked very hard on my behalf.
The people of Donegal North-East were eager to elect a Fianna Fáil person to look after their interests, in conjunction with Deputy McDaid, and I am glad Deputy Harte will make my life easy for a while. I look forward to working with both Deputies and to trying to help Donegal North-East. I intend to work closely with Deputies McDaid and Harte, particularly on behalf of Inishowen which area has not had a representative since my late father held the seat in 1976. I thank the Deputies for the help I am sure they will provide to help me settle in. I anticipate a long stay and I thank the House.
I thank the House for the sympathy and kindness extended to me over the past difficult few months. On behalf of those from Dublin West present today and on my behalf, I also thank the Members for the warmth and generosity of our reception.