A Chathaoirligh, b'oth linn a chlos go rabhais breóite agus is cúis áthais domhsa agus dúinn go léir go bhfuil an taom curtha dhíot agat agus go bhfuil tú slán arís.
Táim á thairgsint don tSeanad go dtoghfar an Seanadóir Tadhg O Donnabháin mar Leas-Chathaoirleach. Is deimhin go mbeidh sé inniúil ar an obair a dhéanamh. Bhí taithí agus eolas aige ar ghnó Phaílaiminte ar faodh nios mó na fiche bliain. Tá Gaeilge aige. Bhí Gaeilge ag á athair agus ag a mháthair, agus nuair a bhí sé ina gharsún óg cuireadh Connradh na Gaeilge ar bun ina cheanntar féin níos mó ná 50 bliain ó shoin. Taréis lae fada oibre a dhéanamh ar an bhfeirm théadh sé ag foghluim léigheamh agus scríobhadh na Gaeilge san oíche. Thug sé leis an Ghaeilge an uair úd nuair ná raibh tairbhe ná tuarastal ag gabháil léi, murab ionann agus inniu.
I dteannta an méid sin go léir, tá sé stuama cothrom cneasta. Tá géarchúis an Choraighigh ann agus tabharfaidh sé sin cúnamh dó chun gnó na cathaoireach do chur chun críche.
I propose that Senator T.J. O'Donovan be elected Leas-Chathaoirleach. I feel there can be no doubt that he has the qualities necessary to do the work of the office to the satisfaction of the whole House. He has had experience of Parliamentary work in the Dáil for more than 20 years. He is a man of firm and strong opinions, but he has been successful in his Parliamentary career in expressing those opinions in such a way as not to give offence to his colleagues from whom, I think, in the other House, he has always had the greatest respect. He has a knowledge of Irish, he comes from Irish-speaking parents and is one of the people who, many years ago, having done a heavy day's work on the farm, went to a branch of the Gaelic League in the area to learn to read and write Irish at a time when there was no profit nor very much respect to be gained from such work or from such knowledge. I propose him with confidence as a person who has the knowledge and who has shown the qualities of mind, and that balance, calmness and civility which we need in a Chairman and which, I think, we will find in Senator O'Donovan.
