Vol. 468 No. 4
Le do thoil, a Cheann Comhairle, ar an mhaidin seo ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a ghabháil le Michelle Smith. Ní fhacamar a leithéid sin riamh in Éirinn nó ar fud an domhain.
With your permission, Sir, I should like to begin our proceedings by paying a heartfelt tribute, on behalf of the people, to Michelle Smith for the honour she brought to this country in her truly stupendous achievement of winning three gold medals at the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Hear, hear.
Michelle's achievement is a lesson to everyone in showing that, if one is determined enough to achieve an objective and single-minded enough in pursuing it, it can be done. Michelle Smith has done it.
I should also like to pay a special tribute to the dignified way in which she dealt with all the interviews and criticisms with which she has had to cope outside the swimming pool.
Hear, hear.
She has brought as much honour to Ireland in the dignity of her bearing in answering various questions and criticisms as she has brought by this truly stupendous achievement as a swimmer. Irish women in particular, but all Irish people regardless of gender, are very proud to be compatriots of Michelle today.
Hear, hear.
On behalf of Fianna Fáil I should like to join the Taoiseach in congratulating and saying a big "thank you" to the golden girl of these Olympic Games. Michelle Smith's achievements have been outstanding, as have been the dedication, commitment and courage she has shown both inside and outside the swimming pool.
I wish her, her husband and coach, her family and everybody involved in swimming in Ireland well. Heretofore people who watched our swimmers competing in Olympic Games in other locations, who did not qualify, tended to be of the view they would never get anywhere. While we in this House may have been criticised for not providing adequate training and other facilities for our Olympic competitors, Michelle has proved that one can succeed against all the odds to achieve great fame for this country.
We should not forget — as the commentators of some other countries appear to — that the true Olympic spirit is about participation, and remember all the other Irish competitors, including those who have already competed and those awaiting their turn, and wish them all success.
I should like to join the Taoiseach and the Leader of the Fianna Fáil Party in congratulating Michelle Smith on her remarkable success, she is truly a sporting heroine. I am not usually stuck for words but it is difficult to find words to describe adequately what she has achieved both inside and outside the swimming pool. I have known her and her family, very decent, sensible people, for a considerable length of time. Although they are immensely proud of her success, I am certain it will not go to their heads. Indeed, without the support of her parents, Pat and Brian, Michelle could not have achieved or realised her immense potential. As the Taoiseach and Deputy Ahern said, she dealt with the whispering campaign and innuendo with great dignity. Michelle has adopted the sporting mantle with a sense of greatness and we wish her well. There is now a new golden circle of Dublin South-West. Michael Carruth brought home a gold medal to Greenhills on the last occasion and Michelle will bring home at least three, if not four, gold medals to the village of Rathcoole. The success we are achieving augurs well for next year's general election, particularly for myself, since the women are doing better than the men.
I compliment RTE on its coverage of the Olympics, particularly Gary O'Toole, who has done so well. I feel so knowledgeable as a result of his panel discussions that I could nearly be a panellist on swimming. I also wish the other participants well. We are all immensely proud of what they are doing for Ireland. They are great ambassadors for the country and we must not forget that. As the Minister, Deputy Allen, said last night, we should ensure that, whether in sport, health or education, resources are targeted to the areas of greatest need. Regardless of our success in the Olympics there must not be a knee-jerk response. We must ensure that public money is wisely spent, and I am certain Michelle Smith and her family would want that too.
On behalf of the Labour Party I add my word of congratulations to Michelle Smith. Politicians on occasions are rightly criticised for trying to get on the bandwagon of other people's success. I do not wish to be put in that position, nor does any other party, but it would be remiss of us not to recognise and acclaim this extraordinary achievement. In recent years achievements have been made by Irish people in the cultural and literary field, by Séamus Heaney who won the Nobel Prize, and now in the sporting field. We have seen what we can achieve as a people.
I say to those who believe that there are problems over which we cannot triumph that although there are difficulties which will continue to defeat us we should take heart from the achievements brought about by people who decided what needs to be done and dedicated themselves to achieving it. There is a lesson of hope for all of us in Michelle Smith's achievement and I thank her on behalf of all the people for giving us the added impetus to strive for further achievements.
Ba mhaith liom, freisin, comhghairdeachas a ghabháil le Michelle Smith as ucht na trí shuaitheantas óra a bhuaigh sí. Níl a fhios agam ar bhuaigh éinne riamh cheana, Éireannach ar aon nós, trí shuaitheantas ar a son féin agus ar son na tíre seo. Tá gach Éireannach ó thuaidh agus ó theas agus iadsan atá ina gcónaí i dtíortha eile bródúil as an ngníomh a rinne sí. Níl aon amhras orm faoi agus ní thugaim leithscéal d'éinne, mó chomhghairdeachas a ghabháil léi.
Ba mhaith liom a rá leis na hiriseoirí sin a cheapann nach bhfuil an ceart ag polaiteoirí labhairt ar son na ndaoine go bhfuilimid uilig tofa ag na daoine agus go bhfuil an ceart againn labhairt ar a son ar ócáidí mar seo.
I wish to be associated with the remarks of congratulations to Michelle Smith who is a constituent of mine. I take this opportunity to put on record, since this is the only occasion we have to do so before the autumn, the tremendous achievement of Francis Barrett, a member of the travelling community who distinguished himself in the ring by a most decisive victory last night, in a contest which lasted the distance, and in his utterances outside the ring of his pride at being a member of the travelling community.
