Address to Seanad Éireann by H.E. Maura Healey, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

An Cathaoirleach

Governor Healey; the ambassador, H.E. Claire Cronin; and the mother of the Governor of Massachusetts, Ms Tracy Healey-Beattie, are welcome. I am glad the governor's mum is here. I welcome the distinguished guests and ladies and gentlemen. A Rialtóir Uí hÉalaighthe, thar ceann Chomhaltaí an tSeanaid agus ar mo shon féin mar Chathaoirleach, gabhaim buíochas leat as ucht an onóir a thabhairt dúinn inniu agus as ucht cuairt a thabhairt don Teach seo, an Seanad, inniu.

It is an honour and privilege, as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, to have with us this afternoon the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Maura Healey, to address Seanad Éireann. I am delighted to welcome her to Seanad Éireann, the Upper House of the Oireachtas. Curim céad míle fáilte roimh gach duine. I offer the governor a warm welcome on behalf of all the Members of Seanad Éireann.

I extend a sincere welcome to H.E. Claire Cronin and offer her my sincere thanks for being an instrumental ally in ensuring that today's visit, historic as it is, took place. The ambassador is most welcome. One sign of the influence of the ambassador in Leinster House is that when she meets Tom Corcoran, she says, "Good morning, Tom". That shows she is always welcome here.

Governor Healey has made historic firsts on several occasions in her political and work life. She is a person of firsts. She was the first woman elected governor of Massachusetts, the first member of the LGBTQ+ community elected governor and the first governor of Massachusetts to address Seanad Éireann. She is not the first person from Massachusetts to address the Seanad but she is the first Governor to do so. The governor's first trip abroad is to Ireland. It is fitting that she comes to the national Parliament in Ireland because, as we know, one in five of those living in Massachusetts claims to be Irish or of Irish descent.

H.E. Cronin will confirm that Governor Healey was the first governor in America to appoint a climate chief at cabinet level, as she did by appointing Ms Melissa Hoffer to that role. That illustrates the importance that the governor and the state of Massachusetts place on the issue of climate change.

John F. Kennedy said in his visit to Limerick, "This is not the land of my birth but it is the land for which I hold the greatest affection." I know Governor Healey's mum has been here on many occasions. The governor's ancestors came from our country and she holds a great affinity for Ireland.

In her own right, the governor has a formidable career in law and politics. She led the civil rights division of the attorney general's office prior to her election as attorney general. She was re-elected in 2018, having been first elected in 2014. For many of us, it was her assumption of the role of governor last November that gave us some of our greatest joy in her as a person. I am surprised H.E. Cronin did not change this but chapter 2, section 1 of the Massachusetts constitution states that the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall have the title "His Excellency", clearly not thinking of a time when we would have a person of the trailblazing stature of Governor Healey.

She is most welcome here today.

As I said, she is the first woman and the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to the office. I do not think it is an overstatement to say that she is a trailblazer - a leader and a fighter - standing up for the fundamental rights of the citizens of her state. Her visit today is both timely and significant. It coincides with two extraordinary events in our history: the 60th anniversary tomorrow of the visit of President Kennedy to Ireland and his address to the Joint Houses of the Oireachtas. As a nation, we were captivated by his eloquence, vision and unwavering commitment to democracy. It is fitting that the governor's visit today coincides with the anniversary of that historic occasion. It reminds us of the enduring bonds that exist between Ireland and the United States, and in particular between Ireland and Boston. We are bound through heritage, culture, and shared values and Governor Healey's presence here today strengthens that relationship.

To my mind, the visit of President Kennedy was significant for a number of reasons, not least, because as Members know, Ireland was not part of the Marshall plan and the reconstruction of Europe and we missed out on a period of growth in Europe. The policy undertaken by the then Taoiseach, Seán Lemass, and prompted by T.K. Whitaker of the programme for economic expansion, transitioned Ireland from being an inward-looking country to being an outward-looking one; a nation that saw through the prism of the world the visit of President Kennedy. His visit was not just a spiritual or emotional one but was instrumental in forging a significant economic, trade and investment relationship between Ireland and the United States and the rest of the world. In many ways, the visit of President Kennedy put Ireland back on the world map.

The second memorable moment in history took place 30 years ago this week in 1993, when legislation decriminalising homosexuality was introduced, debated and passed by Dáil Éireann. The then Minister for Justice was a woman, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn. Within two weeks of that Bill being debated and passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, it was signed into law and put on the Statute Book. Finally, it was no longer a crime to love the person you loved of the same gender in Ireland. The most basic of rights was afforded to LGBTQ+ people here. We have continued to make progress because we know that we have much more work to do.

I am personally delighted that Governor Healey is here today to mark that historic occasion in Ireland's civil rights journey. Her presence reminds us all - and should remind every boy and girl watching at home, in Boston, in Provincetown, or all over the world that no matter who you are, what your background is or your sexual orientation or aspirations, you possess the power to be whoever you want to be. Her election last November demonstrated that. We have seen the Pride flag flying today and last Saturday in Leinster House. It is a symbol of an inclusive, diverse Parliament where we are all equal and we all feel welcome.

It would be remiss of me not to mention Governor Healey's personal connection to Ireland. Her great-grandparents emigrated from Cork, Kerry and Galway. That really means she is one of us. This is her ancestral place and we say to her: "Welcome home.". Like President Biden who visited us recently, Governor Healey has a genuine personal pride in her Irish ancestry. She also shares that same pride. Today, I think of the wider Irish diaspora in Boston and across America, but in particular in the state of Massachusetts, the place they first touched ground when they left Ireland from Cobh and many parts of the country.

I think of my own family members who emigrated. I remember Bill Cullinane, who lived in Boston and worked two jobs to put his kids through school and college. He lived in a place called Wellesley eventually. It is the place where my cousins, the McDevitts, the Cullinanes and the Porters live in the wonderful United States of America. Governor Healey's presence in this Chamber acknowledges that story of emigration as a shared story of two nations. I am very proud on a personal level, as the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, to welcome the Governor of Massachusetts to this House.

I remember fondly my first summer in 1988 working as a student on a J1 visa in Boston. I worked in the town of Wellesley in the recycling and disposal facility, otherwise known as "the dump". I recall Michael Dukakis was running for governor; the Boston Pops on 4 July; the winning streak of the Red Sox and the replacing of Joe Morgan - as Members all know, and how they were beaten in the play-offs after having a great run, and the great Wade Boggs and Roger Clemens.

I recall meeting KC Jones, one of the best basketball players in the world, along with Larry Bird. I also remember discovering pepperoni pizza. Those are just some of the memories I have from that period in Boston in 1988. It was there that I met the wonderful Mayor Raymond Flynn, who I met on a number of occasions since. Provincetown is one of the best places in the world. It was there that I met one of Governor Healey's great friends, Sarah Peake, and people like Julian Cyr and Jack Lewis, Massachusetts state representatives, who have forged a wonderful synergy about promoting human rights, civil rights and equal rights with the Governor and Ambassador Cronin. I welcome Ambassador Cronin again today. The Governor, Sarah Peake and Lynn Mogell have always been a beacon of hope. On our first meeting in Provincetown in 2020, Governor Healey left a lasting impression. It was at her address in a small pub called the Harbor Lounge that she spoke with passion, pride and with vision of the type of world she wanted to live in. I remember Liam McGonigle, who was the barman that day, telling me that this lady was going places. I told him he was absolutely right. Today, it is my great privilege to ask the Governor of Massachusetts, Maura Healey, to address Seanad Éireann.

H.E. Ms Maura Healey

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. I thank all the Members of Seanad Éireann, Ambassador Cronin, distinguished guests and staff for their incredibly warm welcome of me. It is a profound honour to be here in this Chamber with you. It is just over 100 years since this body was created to help lead a free Ireland, and it is 60 years tomorrow since President John F. Kennedy spoke in this very building and launched a new era of Irish-American relations. It is 30 years since the decriminalisation of gay life in Ireland. It is thanks to this body and all those who fought for that cause, and especially the courageous leadership of Senator Norris, that we are here today. It has been 19 years since we secured marriage equality in Massachusetts and eight years since both the citizens of Ireland and the Supreme Court of the United States, just one month apart, declared that love is love, once and for all. It is six years since Ireland elected its first openly gay Taoiseach, and nearly six months since I took office as the first openly lesbian woman elected Governor of the United States by Massachusetts, the most Irish state in our country.

Our nations are once again united by history, as President Kennedy said. In our journey together, the doors have opened wider. I want to thank Senators for the statements of support that I received following my election last November, and the congratulations that were made in this Chamber upon the vote. It means the world to me that leaders of this land, home to my great-grandparents and my grandparents, were watching and cheering me on. The first messages to reach me from Ireland were from my cousins in Ballinasloe, County Galway, Kitty and John Duke. Along with millions of Americans, including President Biden and Ambassador Cronin, I cherish my Irish roots and I am grateful to the brave Irish women and men who made my life possible. Today, I am thinking of my late father, Jerry Healey, and his parents, Jeremiah Healey and Margaret Riordan, who emigrated from Kerry and Cork, Kilgarvan and Macroom, specifically. I am also thinking of my maternal great-grandmother, Katherine Tracey. Katherine left Ballinasloe in 1912, when she was about 16. There were six of them, and one of her sisters had gone on to America. Her mother died and she was left to care for the little ones. Once they had reached a certain age, her father felt it was okay for her to go and join her sister. She arrived in New York by herself. The person who was supposed to meet her was not there and she somehow made her way up to Boston in Massachusetts. After working hard, cleaning other people's homes for a few years, she met my great-grandfather and settled down in Newburyport, Massachusetts, winning over her American in-laws with her warmth and kindness. She was a gentle and well-read woman. She was proud, yet humble, and she always filled us with stories of Ireland - and for a long time, because she lived to be 96 years old.

My mother, Catherine Tracy Healey, was given the name Catherine Tracy for my great-grandmother, and I happen to be Maura Tracy Healey to carry on that name. We hold memories of my great-grandmother deep in our hearts. She taught us to love Ireland and inspired us to keep in close contact with all our cousins and family here, to the point that just a few years ago, a dozen of us made our way over for the wedding of Tommy and Claire Boyle in Newry. It was my first experience of an Irish wedding. I think I have recovered. It was wonderful.

In 1999, I had a special trip back home, when I visited Ballinasloe with my mother and my grandmother. We were taken by my cousins to the family farm my great-grandmother had left, and met my uncle Joe, who took us around the old farmstead and showed us where the original foundation had been left standing. I picked up one of the stones from the foundation and - I think the statute of limitations has probably passed - took that stone home with me. I did so because wherever I have lived since, I always want to remember my roots and my foundation.

Our Irish ancestors left behind everything they knew, and worked hard to give us all we would need, including in future generations. I was raised with the values they passed on, such as a love for family as well as the need to take responsibility for the welfare of your broader community and to look out for those who need a helping hand and extend it. I am grateful for this gift, and I am awed by the fact it is just one of millions of immigrants' stories that built Massachusetts and America. They are the threads, woven together by time, that form a powerful fabric bringing our nations together, across an ocean and through history.

That is especially the case in Massachusetts, where, by ancestry, culture and proximity, we claim the closest ties. Perhaps that is also the reason we love politics, some have said. The important thing is that our relationship with Ireland is not one of distant memory or hazy nostalgia but is rooted in shared values that are deeply relevant to the moment we are in and the challenges we face. It evolves through the exchanges of people, ideas and resources. It is a living and breathing connection, one we have a duty to nurture, grow and use for the good of all people. There is much for us to learn from one another as we work to protect the rights and freedoms for which we have fought hard.

That is what we are doing this week on this, my first trip as governor. My administration's vision for Massachusetts is one that provides opportunity and well-being for all our people, drives innovations that heal and help humanity and shines as a beacon of human rights, equality and freedom. Our relationship with Ireland is a powerful and necessary resource for advancing each of those goals. Already, our economic partnership is reflected in hundreds of companies employing thousands of people on both sides of the Atlantic, with billions of dollars, and euro as well, in trade and investment and nearly 200 research and development partnerships driving change throughout the world.

We were pleased to welcome the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment just a few weeks ago to the State House in Boston as he and his team highlighted Irish innovation. We met this week in Dublin with leaders in business, technology, science and education to learn from and share with them all that Massachusetts has to offer. I am joined today by our secretary of economic development, Yvonne Hao, and our secretary of energy and environmental affairs, Rebecca Tepper, as well as leaders from Massachusetts' industry and academia. We are here as “team Massachusetts” to build on relationships with all of you, forge new connections and fuel the ideas and partnerships that can move us forward to a better and more prosperous future for all.

If family is something we are, friendship is something we do, as the great transatlantic writer Nuala O'Faolain put it.

What we do, especially what we do right now, matters. Our partnerships in technology make life better and make the world more connected, especially if we are intentional about equity, and the impacts it has, and access. Our partnerships in healthcare and medical innovation save lives, like the Covid vaccines developed by Massachusetts scientists and Irish scientists, which saved millions of lives around the world. Our partnerships in clean energy can lead the world to a just transition that protects our planet and brings health and opportunity to every community. In Massachusetts we are leaning into offshore wind, embracing that as a technology. We know Ireland is also a leader in embracing what we need to do to address our climate situation.

We are embracing our maritime heritage to advance innovations in blue technology. The Atlantic Ocean no longer divides us but unites us in our understanding of planetary systems that we all depend on and the potential of our oceans, seas and skies to bring sustainable benefits to all. President Kennedy said 60 years ago: “The supreme reality of our time is our indivisibility as children of God and our common vulnerability on this planet.” We have a different understanding of our planet’s vulnerability today but this truth is unchanged. If we embrace our shared destiny, we will not only meet the climate challenge but also demonstrate the unity the world needs to meet all the challenges that confront us.

The truth is we share more than history. We share intellectual firepower nurtured through a passion for education in Ireland and Massachusetts. We share a culture and infrastructure of strategic partnership built on generations of exchange and growth, even if it was to explore pizza.

We share something else that has never been more clear. It is the belief that in this moment we must move forward together. In fact, we can only succeed if everyone succeeds and has the opportunity to exercise their rights, be free from discrimination, reach their full potential, share their talents and live as their true selves. That value, too, is the reason I am here and able to be here. Massachusetts is home to America's first public school, public library, public park and subway system. The state led the cause of abolition and was the first to make healthcare universally accessible and to declare that love is love. Ireland, by the same token, for generations has been famed for its commitment to global human rights. Wherever deep suffering appears in the world, Irish people will be found there ready to lend their heart, soul and hands to relieve it.

This work has deepened our relationship. We are proud of the role Massachusetts leaders such as Congressman Richie Neal, along with countless private citizens, have played in fostering peace and justice in Northern Ireland. President Biden’s commitment to supporting the Belfast Good Friday Agreement is shared widely and deeply in our state. We are proud one of our own, Joe Kennedy, is in the role of special envoy.

At the same time, we have been blessed in Massachusetts by Irish people who, as former President, Mary McAleese said, dedicate their lives to building bridges. Recently I appointed new folks to our office for refugees and immigrants. Ronnie Millar is the new director of strategic initiatives, a critical role at this moment of global disruption. He emigrated from Belfast in 1993 to work as a computer engineer but soon turned to a career of helping fellow immigrants. He returned to Northern Ireland to do cross-community work with the Corrymeela centre. Then for 12 years he led Boston’s Irish immigrant centre, which for more than three decades has received funding from the Irish Government through its immigrant support programme. Under Ronnie’s leadership, the centre embraced the shared humanity of all migrants, serving more than 3,000 families every year who came to Boston from 120 countries around the world.

He has helped to build new bridges across all social divides and now he will be helping to lead that work for us as a state. Mr. Millar is just one example of the incredible Irish talent that we continue to benefit from in the state of Massachusetts. Ireland and Massachusetts have both taken long journeys toward freedom and equality for our people. We have come to be known, however, for our commitment to always doing better and showing a way forward for others. I recognise the leadership of this Chamber, in particular, along with all those who have worked to make Ireland a better place for its citizens by addressing the injustices of the past, securing reproductive rights and advancing climate action, Travellers rights and migrant safety, to name just a few of the issues that have been worked on and advanced. The cause of human rights is woven through our shared history and it draws us closer today.

In Massachusetts, at a time when, unfortunately, in parts of the United States of America people's rights, freedoms, histories and identities are being attacked and undermined, we are ensuring that women and all who need it have access to reproductive healthcare. In Massachusetts, we are eradicating racial injustice from our legal system, economy, schools and healthcare systems and every realm of life. We are defending the rights of every member of the gay, lesbian and trans community to live their lives free from discrimination, abuse, violence or other barriers.

As the House will know, this work is personal for me. It is also intersectional work. It is why, as a civil rights lawyer in the Massachusetts attorney general's office, I fought not only for marriage equality but for victims of discrimination and exploitation of all kinds. This work is inspired by my Irish foundations, in fact, and the deep kindness and fierce passion for freedom for the recognition of the dignity and worth of each person, from the emigrant homes of Massachusetts to the great rooms of state here in Leinster House. I am grateful to all who came before me and I am grateful for those who advance our cause today.

The movements for gay rights, trans rights and women's rights in Ireland are all strong, visible and worthy of our attention and gratitude. Together, we have reached a point where I could arrive in Ireland as the out governor of Massachusetts and make my first stop at a Pride reception at the embassy last evening. I can speak as a guest here today in this Chamber and I can sit for dinner afterwards with an LGBT caucus and others led by the Cathaoirleach. Later this week, I can meet with the Taoiseach, who was elected as a gay man in 2017 with his own immigrant story. In our business development meetings, I can tell prospective workers, students, employers or investors seeking to make a life in Massachusetts or Ireland that whoever you are and whomever you love, you will be welcomed, embraced and respected. This is a competitive advantage in today's world. It is one that Ireland and Massachusetts recognise and embrace.

We know there is more work to be done. I think of the young people today who are experiencing a surge of mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. This is due in part to the pandemic and in part to hearing voices of hate, vitriol and division around them and threatening their very lives and futures. We must stand strong and never go backwards. It was not so long ago when the story of Irish-American unity and the story of gay liberation would never have been told together. I am here to say these are the stories of the same people and threads of the same fabric that have forever bound us and will bind us across time and strengthen our mutual futures.

We stand at a critical moment in world history. We face big challenges including a pandemic's long tail and the loss and instability that pandemic has wrought, a climate crisis and its harsh and growing impacts on many communities, especially the most vulnerable among us, humanitarian tragedies and deep inequalities both among and within nations, violent conflict in Europe and the resulting suffering and displacement and the resurgence across the West of regressive and anti-democratic ideologies being advanced through the familiar means of scapegoating, exploitation and division. We must stand together now not only to celebrate our progress but to meet these challenges, to rise to the moment and to show a better way forward. We are stronger in that work because more of us are able to contribute our whole selves to the effort. Let us never take this achievement for granted and let us always work to open the doors for others.

I thank Senators for their friendship and I thank them once again for the opportunity for me to be here with my family from Massachusetts and my Irish family to address this most historic and significant body.

An Cathaoirleach

That is a home run. Fenway Park is rocking. I also welcome the cabinet secretaries Rebecca Tepper and Yvonne Hao to the gathering today. I also welcome the co-chair of the friendship group for America and Ireland, Deputy McAuliffe, as well as Alan Harney, John Duke, Bernie Boyle and Kitty Duke. I also welcome to the Gallery Deputies Danny Healy-Rae and McHugh. Deputy McHugh is from Donegal. He has never met the governor but canvassed for her and held up yard signs on her behalf across Massachusetts. He is up there in the Public Gallery. I also welcome Conor Healy, who is the chief executive of Cork Chamber of Commerce, and Councillor Briege MacOscar, who has been on the campaign trail with the governor. I thank the governor very much for her wonderful address. I now call on Senator O'Loughlin, who is sharing time with Senator Malcolm Byrne. They will have two minutes each.

Senator Fiona O'Loughlin

Governor Healey's words were absolutely inspiring. She embraced all of us in every single thing that she said. I will tell the governor that the ambassador, H.E. Claire Cronin, is very efficient in all of her official dealings with us and is also truly a friend to us. She is always a proud Massachusetts woman. Nowadays, when somebody leaves school, it is a rite of passage to take a flight and go away on holiday. When I was leaving school in the 1980s, that was not necessarily the case. However, my father heard an interview with Lillian Carter, the former president Jimmy Carter's mother, about Friendship Force and trying to build bonds between Ireland and America. He thought I should have something on my CV that would mark me out as a little different in interviews so the first time I was ever on a plane, I was going to Boston. I was collected there and brought to the most wonderful family in Worcester, Massachusetts. I learned a great deal about American hospitality and the American way of life, which has really stood to me to this day. Last weekend, I spent time with another Massachusetts family, the Shrivers, descended from Eunice Kennedy Shriver. I have a small pin here with Eunice on it for the Special Olympics. The motto this year was "Unbeatable together". With America and Ireland working together, we are unbeatable.

The governor mentioned business links. In the county I am from, County Kildare Chamber has had a number of very successful visits. The linkages have been really important. A very good friend of mine, Richard Meehan, is the CEO of an American company, based in Boston, Velico Medical, which saves lives through its production of dried blood and plasma products for defence forces all over the world.

I have met many of the Irish and Americans who are working in the best possible way. I see first-hand the partnership that goes on. To finish, I will channel John F. Kennedy, and say the work goes on, the cause endures and the dream shall never die. May we always have friendship, may we always have laughter, and may we always work together.

Senator Malcolm Byrne

It is wonderful to have the governor here. I know she is very proud of her Ballinasloe, Cork and Kerry connections. As I mentioned before, I am from Wexford, the home of that little known Massachusetts political family, the Kennedys. Sixty years ago, John F. Kennedy came here and inspired people. I thank the governor for coming on this trip to inspire people. What she has done to inspire women and people of my community, which is the LGBTQ+ community, to get involved in politics is incredibly important.

The Boston Marathon is the oldest city marathon anywhere in the world. It is an incredible race. I have had the privilege of running it. When tragedy struck in Boston ten years ago, we saw the resilience of Boston and Massachusetts, with "Boston Strong." It shows how strong a community is. We have incredibly strong connections and links between Ireland and the United States. The governor will understand there is strong affection between this country and Massachusetts. Our challenge now is not just to reflect on all of our histories. It is to look at the modern world and where we can provide those leadership roles in areas, as the governor said, such as human rights and the protection of refugees, those who seek refuge on our shores. It is also about us providing leadership roles in the modern world of technology and education. Boston and Massachusetts, like Ireland, have a rich higher education and research tradition. We look forward, on the governor's trip, as a result of this, to building those links even more. The governor is very welcome. I thank her for her time.

Senator Regina Doherty

I thank Governor Healey for an inspiring speech. Like so many Americans, she has made the trip back home to Ireland. They have pulled back to where their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were born and raised, visit our small, little towns and villages, and reconnect with family who, in many cases, people only ever heard of through stories from their relatives. It is probably fair to say that in Ireland, we are always talking about the diaspora. We talk about those people who left the country decades ago with little or nothing to their name, often making successful lives for themselves against enormous odds. It is often the case that the first-generation emigrants make the greatest sacrifices, allowing their children and grandchildren the space to succeed. That first wave of emigrants raised young families, working hard to give their children the opportunities that just did not exist in Ireland in the days when so many left.

I think, if the governor does not mind me saying so, that she is one of our great success stories. She is someone who we proudly count as one of our diaspora. She has had a remarkable success, including being elected as governor, but she has not forgotten her roots, which is so evident today, or indeed her ancestry. There are so many success stories like hers from the millions of Americans with Irish ancestry, achieving great success in politics, business, art and every walk of life. When I was preparing this speech and doing a little research, I discovered that we were born a few weeks apart from each other. I will not tell anybody how old we are but it is fair to say that in our relatively short lives, we have seen enormous change on both sides of the Atlantic.

While I have spent some time talking about ancestry, which is obviously very important and roots us in where we come from, it is undoubtedly as important to our identity of who we actually are. When we talk about the change that has taken place in our lives over the past decades, one piece of progress that has been made is the growing freedom to identify as a member of the LGBT community. For a long time, as the governor knows, people in this community lived in fear of persecution and prosecution in both Ireland and America. Because of a small number of very brave people, enormous change happened. They fought the powers that be, including the church, the State, and in some cases even their own families. They faced stigma, silence and sometimes violence. Progress was slow and it was not always linear. There were desperately sad times too in the 1980s and 1990s when far too many people died in America and Ireland barely acknowledged by either Government and not getting much-needed help.

While progress was slow during this time, it never stopped. These numbers were committed people and they persevered. They are giants of the movement. America has Harvey Milk and events like Stonewall with those brave enough to take a stand that night and we, as rightly mentioned, have Senator David Norris, Tonie Walsh and countless other civil rights activists who courageously agitated for change. Because of these brave people, we can be in the Seanad today, in Pride month, welcoming you, a proud member of the LGBT community, at the invitation of our own Cathaoirleach, a really proud member of the LGBT community. That is a wonderful thing.

What I am trying to say is that this level of acceptance and progress did not happen overnight. Change was slow. I am reminded of a Hemingway quote. I am paraphrasing but he said that things happen slowly but then all at once. That is now how progress feels with the LGBT community. We have marriage equality in both America and Ireland, better employment opportunities and protections and anti-discrimination laws but we cannot take any of that for granted. We must remember that those rights were hard won. Unfortunately, we are seeing a rise in homophobia and particularly transphobia on both sides of the Atlantic. We were out marching in the Dublin Pride parade over the weekend, celebrating the journey that has been made, but we cannot afford to be complacent. In her role as attorney general, Ms Healey fought against discriminatory anti-LGBT legislation and I know she will do even more so now in her role as governor. We need people like her because progress, as we have seen in both of our lives, is easily eroded. I wish Ms Healey continued success and thank her for coming today.

Senator Tom Clonan

Welcome home. Fáilte abhaile. When I think of diversity and inclusion, I always think of liberty and freedom. The first shots for liberty and freedom were fired in the Battles of Lexington and Concord in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. In fact, almost 50% of the continental army of the United States in the Revolutionary War were Irish emigrants. In the field, many of them spoke Irish. It prompted Lord Mountjoy to remark when he went home with his tail between his legs - sorry to our British friends - that America was lost through the Irish emigrants. So close are the connections between our countries, we are indeed family. Washington himself at the early stages of that war, when it was not clear what the outcome would be, said:

Ireland, thou friend of my country in my country's most friendless days, much injured, much enduring land, accept this poor tribute ... If defeated everywhere else, I will make my last stand for liberty among the [Irish]

Here you are, among the Irish.

Growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, we had the example of the United States, which then had a population of approximately 180 million people, diverse by way of ethnicity, religious formation, sexual identity, gender and sexual orientation. It is that diversity that makes the United States great and it is that growing diversity in Irish society that will make us relevant in the 21st century. It is actually the key to our survival.

Other people here have mentioned their family connections to the United States. I have an unusual surname so it is very easy for me to research my US cousins. Be careful what you wish for because I discovered in the library of the House of Representatives a Thomas Clonan who was found guilty of attempting to evade taxes in 1866. When confronted by the tax inspector, he said, "There is no man called Thomas Clonan at this address but a horse by that name is stabled here." Unfortunately for him, that defence did not work. I googled this before speaking and found that his account was corroborated by a neighbour.

Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile

Was the neighbour called Clonan too?

Senator Tom Clonan

It said a neighbour testified that indeed there might have been a horse of that name there but he knew no such man. Unfortunately, I do not know what became of my forebear Thomas Clonan. I do not know if he is still a horse.

My journey to this House was through the experience of having four teenage and adult kids, one of whom has a disability. I have always campaigned for diversity and inclusion. The challenges and obstacles that confront our disabled citizens are one of the frontiers we have to conquer. I had the great privilege of meeting a Senator who was one of the architects of the Americans with Disability Act, the ADA. That Act has proven to be an inspiration for me for legislation that I hope to introduce to this House to vindicate the rights of persons with disabilities. Governor Healey is very welcome. It is wonderful to see people like our Cathaoirleach and Taoiseach, as members of the LGBTQ+ community, celebrated and achieving. As I said at the start, fáilte abhaile - welcome home.

An Cathaoirleach

At this point, I also welcome our consul general in Boston, Ms Laoise Moore, who is leaving in August. We are also joined by Ms Sighle FitzGerald who will be the new consul general in Boston. I look forward to giving her a whistle-stop tour of the many good destinations in Boston. I thank both Ms Moore and Ms Fitzgerald for the work they do on behalf of the Irish diaspora in the state of Massachusetts, particularly in Boston.

Senator Pauline O'Reilly

I welcome Governor Healey. It is a mutually emotional moment any time we have somebody here with us to speak about their connection to our country. As the Governor outlined, it is the same in return. In September next, I will have members of my family, my own mini-diaspora, coming back to Ireland, from Australia, Canada and the US. This will give us an opportunity to visit places I have not been to before, some of my family's ancestral homes in Ireland. Sometimes we have to be reminded of our own family and own values. We can become tied up and busy with just getting on with day-to-day life with our children and parents. I thank Governor Healey and all of the members of the diaspora for reminding us of this.

It is also sometimes easy to forget that leadership across the world is not all bad. We have some good evidence of really strong, powerful leaders. Governor Healey is one of those and is an inspiration to us all. We have an issue in politics in this country, and the same is true in the United States, with the under-representation of women and those from diverse backgrounds. It is important that we remember that our family is extended now in Ireland. There are people who do not have family links going back generation after generation in Ireland. However, they are now part of our family and they must now be part of the representation of our country.

We need to remind ourselves that human values are central to what holds us together. We need leaders like Governor Healey to keep promoting those values. We have talked about the changes that have happened in Ireland and the US regarding LGBTQ+ rights. We have not spoken about abortion today. We have seen advances but we know how easily they slip back. I was in the US last year for election monitoring for the midterm elections. Many people were really surprised that abortion was still a big issue. When people feel their rights are under threat, they come out to the ballot boxes. Therefore, we need people to vote for who are going to continue to promote that. In parts of Europe we have seen the issue of contraception slip down the agenda, an indication that women's rights in general have slipped.

Governor Healey mentioned climate action which is an issue close to my own heart. We speak about war a lot, but 9 million people a year die as a result of air, water and soil pollution. That is a huge number, much higher than the number of those killed in conflict. Both are really important but when we talk about our security and our foreign policy, we have to remember that this threat is the greatest threat to humanity.

It is also a human rights threat and a threat to those who cannot vote, namely, the natural world all around us. It is an obligation and takes a special kind of leadership from all of us to say this is not about votes but is about the reason people should run for politics, which is to do the right thing.

I am delighted with all the work Massachusetts is doing, as outlined by the Governor. This is now a call for us all to work together across the oceans. Indeed, we now have these tentacles around the world as regards our diaspora and those who are new to our family, including those diverse links we now have in our communities. Let us now also spread in the other direction in order to extend the links across all the continents and not just between our two continents.

My time is up. The Governor is very welcome. I hope to speak to her further later.

An Cathaoirleach

I also welcome Mr. Ted Danowitz and Mr. Peter Glennon from the American Embassy. I thank them for their help today and their ongoing engagement with us.

Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile

Gabhaim buíochas a Chathaoirligh agus ba mhaith liom fáilte is fiche a chur roimh an gobharnóir agus í ar chuairt stairiúil chuig an Seanad inniu. I ask her not to worry; there are not too many more to go after me. I also welcome-----

An Cathaoirleach

There could still be trouble though.

Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile

-----the ambassador and all our visitors to the Gallery. Above all, it is right and appropriate that I extend the heartiest welcome to the Governor of what many consider Ireland's 33rd county - the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Through the Governor's politics, work and activism, she has come to represent a great value that Irish people know intimately, namely, that the citizen is sovereign. No matter citizens' background, identity, gender, sexual orientation, the language they speak or their political aspirations, they deserve to live in a free, equal, just and environmentally sustainable world. Crucially, the Governor also reminded us in her remarks that every human has value and worth, and should be afforded dignity, shelter, protection, support and solidarity. As a nation, we know this only too well or, rather, we should know these sentiments all too well.

I speak as a citizen of Belfast, Ireland's second city and Boston's sister city. It is also a city where I met Joe Kennedy just last week, where he is leading very important work in seeking to deliver investment and prosperity across my city and throughout the North. We all wish him well in those important endeavours. Belfast is a city that has changed dramatically from the days when senators and representatives from Massachusetts took pioneering visits there, and to and other places throughout the North, to help the burgeoning peace and political process. We thank them for that retrospective and historic solidarity and support, but we are also very conscious of the continued support from places such as Massachusetts and right across America against the threats posed to Ireland as a result of a disastrous Brexit, the harm it has caused to our economies North and South, and the political instability that it led to. We are thankful to President Biden, which gratitude we got the opportunity to express during his historic visit to the Oireachtas not that long ago. I am sure all colleagues right across the House ask for that continued solidarity and support that the Governor so positively expressed today. It is not all historic. It is live and is appreciated too.

I will reflect on the issue of the diaspora. On many occasions, not just during the Governor's visit, we have looked back at the historic links and the importance of our diaspora. It is only right that we lift up and celebrate people such as Ronnie Millar, about whom she spoke. It is important that we as a people here in Ireland do not just ask of our diaspora but seek to give back to it in this changed dynamic. That change has been brought about, not least, by the pioneering endeavours of our family around the world. In my time in the House, I have championed the right of our diaspora to vote in presidential elections. That would be a tangible and much-valued expression of a connection to home for our diaspora, whether they are in Massachusetts or anywhere else around the world.

I hope I will get an opportunity to speak to the governor later about that. I join my colleagues in wishing her well and congratulating her on a historic political achievement. I am sure she is conscious that it is still early days for her as governor and there is much more that she wants to achieve. We wish her well in achieving that.

Senator Annie Hoey

As an out political woman - although I prefer the term activist - it is great to be able to respond to an out leading light of the LGBT community. Often when we hear news from the United States, it can be depressing. Sometimes we are watching one of the world's largest democracies fade away. That is why it is important that we hear from governors such as Governor Healey who is not afraid to speak out or to challenge the federal government on things we should not even be contesting in the first place. As attorney general she took action to protect abortion provision and services in the state of Massachusetts and as governor she ensured a stockpile of Mifepristone under threat of it being banned.

Not so long ago in Ireland, women like me and others were either illegally buying abortion pills for people or helping women to access abortion pills. It was only six years ago that I and others were helping women in that situation because they could not get them. We had a system that was designed to punish and shame marginalised women. Unfortunately, we had a situation where our policies sometimes threatened the lives of patients. We have seen certain politicians raise similar concerns about the number of abortions in Ireland. Others in the Labour Party and I firmly believe in a woman's right to choose safe, legal and accessible abortion. We still have many steps to take to fulfil that goal to the fullest sense.

As a long-time advocate and activist, I know that voices such as Governor Healey's are vital in the political sphere, especially as we are seeing the rise of the far-right globally. We have to look at the US, unfortunately, somewhat as a canary in a coalmine because we see the same language surrounding the LGBTQ+ community, particularly the trans community, rise here as it has done in the US. It is important that we have people like the governor who has been vocal about her support for the trans community and trans women in particular, who have been victims of increasing scapegoat politics. Some sad politicians use them as targets to distract from their own failings. In response to a question about the threat of undermining civil liberties, the governor said that she would double down on freedom. We need to consider that from both an Irish and a European perspective.

Several EU governments are currently tackling the civil liberties of EU citizens. In Hungary, there is a new Russian-style anti-LGBT propaganda law. Ireland has taken a strong stance against that law. We joined a number of other countries in that but we need to do more. In 2022, Ireland ranked as the worst in the EU for trans healthcare. I spent some time last night in the ambassador's residence speaking with representatives of that community and listening to their experiences. One person said that a ten-year waiting list is not a healthcare system. It simply does not exist if people have to wait more than ten years to be able to access trans healthcare. I am sure the governor would agree that gender-affirming healthcare should be covered and supported by the State. We have to build the kind of world where our trans family can live their truth in peace, safe in the knowledge that their country will protect and care for them.

Clemency is an issue that is important to the governor. She pardoned seven people in her first six months in office. It is on the way but we still have to pardon the gay and bisexual men who were criminalised by the State only 30 years ago simply for loving who they loved. We are still on a journey towards that.

From one member of the LGBTQ+ community to another, I wish the governor continued success in all she does. It is brilliant to see a powerful activist representative, not only for our community, but also for other marginalised groups.

H. E. Maura Healey

I thank the Cathaoirleach for the invitation to be here today.

It is indeed such an honour. I am very grateful to my dear friend, Ambassador Claire Cronin, who has shown the very best of what America is about and should always be about.

As Senators probably noticed, I was emotional when I was delivering my remarks. That emotion comes from the feeling I have towards my ancestors and this wonderful country. While I reflect on the past and the history, and I am mindful of the ties that bind, I am also mindful of our future. I appreciate so much what the Senators had to say, including on the continued work in advocacy that we need around protecting members of the LGBTQ population. I wish happy Pride to all here. I am told we have our work cut out for us in Boston. I hear we have a lot more to do to even come close to comparing with Dublin Pride. We will work on that.

The work on disability is so significant and it is part of what I believe deeply in, as Governor and a leader. We have to do work to advance women's rights, particularly in this time when, unfortunately, we see there are those looking to take us backwards. There is the work we have to do around climate, which is both a moral and an economic imperative. One of the things we are embracing in our state of Massachusetts is climate technology and the opportunity to really grow in this space.

I am also struck by what I have seen and heard in this Chamber and what I have seen over the last few days, namely, incredible entrepreneurship, innovation and development of all sorts of tech sectors. When I think about technology and some of the roundtables I have had the benefit of participating in over the past few days, it fills me and my team with tremendous optimism about the future and a desire to embrace an opportunity for Massachusetts to work more closely with Irish employers and companies and with our research and academic institutions. There is so much that is possible.

From a person whose ancestors could probably never have imagined this day, know that I leave here with hopes of returning and, in the meantime, hopes of finding ways to foster the kinds of things we need to foster. Economic success and opportunity are not mutually exclusive of our commitment to human rights or the advancement of social justice. Those of us in the world who are to succeed in the time we are in - this inflection point in world history - are those who recognise that these can be synergistic, that they can and must happen together and that we will all be better for it. I am truly struck by the ways in which the Irish people have continued to open their doors, literally and figuratively, to the world. I know the Ireland I see is a better place for it. I know the world and others who find ways to emulate what the Irish people and Ireland have done will be better for it. Again, thank you for this incredible honour. It is a privilege to be among all of you.

An Cathaoirleach

Anois mar cáinte deireanach gléim leis an Leas-Chathaoirleach. I ask the Leas-Chathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, to conclude proceedings.

An Leas-Chathaoirleach

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. I thank the Governor for addressing the House. Tip O'Neill, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, said all politics is local so I will start with local politics and welcome some of my constituents, including relatives of Governor Healey, who are here from County Kerry and say they look forward to meeting her and, of course, her mother, with whom I had a great chat last night.

H.E. Ms Maura Healey

That is brilliant.

Senator Mark Daly

We discussed many things about our trip to County Kerry, including Kenmare, but one of the themes of the Governor's address was that those who drink the water should never forget those who dug the well. That was a quote often used by someone she mentioned in her speech, former President Mary McAleese. In the Governor's address she spoke about her pride in her ancestors from all over the island and how they made sacrifices. In particular, she referred to her mother who had to raise children and sacrificed her own opportunities in order to give her children all the opportunities they had. The Governor grabbed them with both hands and made much of them, and much more.

I thank Governor Healey for acknowledging Senator David Norris who I am sure would be delighted to be with us today. However, as she knows, he is not in the fullness of his health. The Senator would be proud of the Governor's visit to this Chamber, at the invitation of the Cathaoirleach, to acknowledge the struggles we are celebrating, the 30 years of the passing of the legislation that made all of our citizens equal. Equality eludes us still, however.

It is fitting and appropriate that Governor Healey is here today on the eve of the 60th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's visit to Leinster House. When he visited, he spoke about many anniversaries, including the 100th anniversary of the US civil war. This year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which has only been possible because of the continuous bipartisan support of the United States at all levels. State legislators, the US House of Representatives, the US Senate and state governors support it to make sure that peace continues. This was very important in the Brexit negotiations when another Massachusetts public representative, Congressman Richie Neal, stated there would be no trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the US if there was a return to the borders of the past and the troubles of the past. Thankfully, with US support we are on the right road.

We also celebrate 100 years of support for Irish independence. Our proclamation stated we were supported by our exiled children in America. I ask Governor Healey to send us an invitation in 2026 when we look forward to celebrating another anniversary, namely, the 250th anniversary of the lifting of the siege of Boston, appropriately enough on Saint Patrick's day. In that same year, George Washington said that when the US flag was friendless Ireland's sons were its only friends. We look forward to celebrating this anniversary.

I will finish with another quote from John F. Kennedy and it is appropriate that Governor Healey is from Galway. When he was in Eyre Square, he said it seemed to him that everybody in Boston was from Galway. He said that if anyone from Galway ever came to the White House he would give them a céad míle fáilte. If Governor Healey ever ends up in the White House, we hope she will give us a céad míle fáilte too.

An Cathaoirleach

I was going to conclude by saying Governor Healey will not be stopping at the corner office she will definitely be heading towards the Oval Office. Perhaps the Leas-Chathaoirleach is right.

I embarrassed a member of staff earlier and I will embarrass a Member of the House now. Senator McGahon is the man at the bottom of the Chamber. He will be getting married to Áine in several weeks' time. We send him and Áine our best wishes on this very auspicious day. I thank Governor Healey for being here. It has been an absolute pleasure and joy for us to welcome her to Leinster House.

Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 4.17 p.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 4.30 p.m.

Sitting suspended at 4.17 p.m. and resumed at 4.30 p.m.

Seanad Éireann debate - Tuesday, 27 Jun 2023