Vol. 156 No. 3
I have to announce that the following Member has been elected to fill the casual vacancy in the membership of the Seanad to which the Resolution of Seanad Éireann on 28 April 1998 has reference — Labour Panel, Nominating Bodies Sub-Panel: John Cregan.
Senator John Cregan was introduced to the Cathaoirleach and then took his seat.
It is my pleasant duty as Leader of the House and Leader of the Fianna Fáil Group to welcome our newest Member, Councillor John Cregan from Dromcolliher, County Limerick. He was educated at St. Joseph's national school and St. Mary's secondary school in Dromcolliher. He was employed with the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and subsequently with Telecom Éireann. He has also been an active member of the Communication of Workers' Union for many years. He was first elected to Limerick County Council in 1991 following the retirement of his late father Tom.
Many of us who have been in politics and public life for a long time knew his deceased father very well. Tom Cregan had many friends and some of those are Members of the current Dáil and Seanad Éireann. He was a man of great integrity. He was someone we all looked up to and respected. Through his membership of a local authority he made a massive lifelong contribution to his area and his county of Limerick. I know Senator John Cregan is very proud of his father. I am sure he is looking down on him proud that John has chosen to follow in his footsteps. Senator Cregan was elected to Limerick County Council on the retirement of his late father in 1991. He has since become a member of the Mid-Western Health Board and is an executive member of the Association of Health Boards of Ireland. Other distinguished Members of the Seanad who were represented on that body have made their mark in this House.
Senator John Cregan is a young, hard working, dedicated public representative from Limerick West. We in Fianna Fáil look forward to the day when John will take his seat in the Dáil. As Leader of the House, I must add the victory was a massive one — 120 to 97 votes. It presents a great opportunity for the country to take note of the unity that exists between the Government partners.
Wait until next week.
We thought it was a temporary arrangement.
Wait until I get my violin out.
There appears to be a distortion of the truth between the Opposition and the media in general about the life time of this Government. I assure Senator John Cregan he will be here for four years which, I hope, will be happy ones.
I, too, commiserate with former Senator Sam McAughtry who is also a hard working and dedicated man. It is a numbers game and on this occasion I am very pleased to say the numbers are on the Government side. I would like to know the names of the seven Opposition members who did not bother to vote today. As Leader of the House it was a proud moment for me to witness the unity that exists among the Government parties. I take this opportunity to thank those people on the Independent benches who voted for Senator Cregan.
I wish John the very best of luck and look forward to his membership of the Seanad for many years.
As Acting Leader I am delighted to support the sentiments of Senator Cassidy and welcome Senator John Cregan to the Seanad. I wish him every success and salute him on his long record in public service. Everyone here and those who have served in other fora like local authorities and perhaps the Dáil understand what public service is about. We have our policy differences; if we did not, we would all be on the one side and there would be no need for elections. I respect party members such as Senator Cregan who have worked hard in the public interest.
My colleagues from Limerick West in the Lower House and in the Seanad wish him a long and very successful tenure in the Upper House.
On behalf of those on the Independent benches I welcome Senator Cregan and wish him a very satisfying career. I congratulate him on taking up the office of public representation. As a public servant and active trade Unionist, it will be nothing new to him.
I remind Senator Cregan that we expect great things from him. The Leader of the House has reinforced the point that he has done what the Cabinet and most of the commentators have failed to do — he has provided the glue between the Government parties. What we thought was just a temporary little arrangement has become something that will last to infinity. Well done, Senator.
All politics are local and the Leader will, I am sure, thank me for reminding the House and the new Senator that he comes from the estuary of the River Shannon. We will expect him to look at the needs of the harbour masters in Foynes, the harbour authority in Limerick and the Shannon Development Board, and to be supportive within his parliamentary party of the Shannon Estuary Bill, about which his Leader apparently has grave reservations.
I wish him well in his career. He comes from Dromcolliher, which the INTO considers to be the cradle of teachers in west Limerick as it has produced so many of them. Mindful also of his Kerry ancestry, I wish him luck.
I also wish to be associated with the remarks of the Leader of the House and others in congratulating our new colleague, Senator John Cregan, and welcoming him to the House. I wish to sympathise with our candidate, former Senator Sam McAughtry, who lost the by-election. I suppose it was too much for the Labour Party to expect three successful by-elections in a row. It was inevitable that a stop would be put to our gallop and I am glad Senator John Cregan was the one who did so. I wish him a long and successful tenure in this House and I am sure he will serve the people of Limerick very well, many of whom are in the Visitors' Gallery today. I wish him all the best on behalf of the Labour Party.
On behalf of the Progressive Democrats, I am very pleased to welcome Senator John Cregan to the House. Like the Leader, I anticipate many happy years for the Senator in the Upper House. I am very glad we could give him our support. At a time when public servants, particularly politicians, are pilloried, it gives us hope for the future to hear about a young man who has already given good public service — the type of service we all try to give — and who will continue to do so in the Upper House.
I commiserate with former Senator Sam McAughtry, who is a very fine person. However, we have made a very good choice in Senator John Cregan and I know he will serve the House very well. I wish him well.
I wish to add my words of welcome to newly elected Senator John Cregan. I assure him I will be glad to give him any assistance or advice I can at any time.
I thank you, a Chathaoirligh, and Senator Cassidy, the Leader of my group, for your very kind remarks and warm welcome. I also thank the other party and group leaders who complimented me. I commiserate with my opponent, former Senator Sam McAughtry. He is fighting another election at the moment and I wish him well.
Hear, hear.
I was very privileged to be nominated by the ICPSA and I acknowledge the presence of its president, Brian O'Keeffe, in the Visitors' Gallery. I thank my parliamentary party. As Senator Cassidy said, my party and our partners in Government, the Progressive Democrats, delivered me 113 out of 113 votes, which does not signify disunity in any shape or fashion. I also received the support of a very loyal group of Independent Deputies and Senators, led by that colourful Kerryman, Deputy Healy-Rae, who I also thank. I have many friends, supporters and family members from Dromcolliher with me, including my wife, Patsy, my sister, Marie, and her husband.
It is great privilege to be elected to Seanad Éireann. As was stated, I have been a member of Fianna Fáil all my life. I joined Limerick County Council in 1991 and I have worked hard and honestly since then. I was asked a couple of times this morning what my priorities are. I simply said my priorities are to continue working hard and honestly for the people who elected me. It will give me great pleasure to work with my colleague and very close personal friend, Senator Rory Kiely, in this House and my other Oireachtas colleague, Deputy Michael Collins, to serve the people of west Limerick.
My late father's name was mentioned and he is foremost in my mind today. He introduced me to politics and kept me on the right road. Although he is now up above, I believe he had an influence on this election. I think of him today and my mother who cannot be with me because she is in Lourdes. I did not send her there to pray for me.
I thank Deirdre Lane and her staff for the efficient way in which they carried out their duties this morning. I look forward to working with all the Members of the House.
