Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate all the new Ministers. I think this is the first time we got an opportunity to wish the Tánaiste well. It is a very important day and a great day for the new Ministers and their families. Regardless of our political differences, and I have strong political differences with many of them, it is always a great honour to be elected to this House but also to be nominated by the Taoiseach to be a Minister. It is a special day for the Ministers and their families and I wish them well. Regardless of political differences, it is a very important day so they should enjoy it before they roll up their sleeves and get stuck into the hard work over the next couple of days.

It is very important that if one is coming in as a new Minister, one should sit down, pick two or three key things in one's Department and come up with three or four new ideas to try and turn the country around. After the local and European elections, people have told us that they want real reform, real change and new policies, particularly in respect of job creation. They also want new ideas in education and sensible reforms. That is what people are talking about. We are all looking for a new vision so there is an opportunity for new Ministers to come in, try out new ideas and try to come up with new solutions. The new Ministers should look at the issues of reform, change, accountability and investment because they are the way forward as well.

The Taoiseach had an opportunity to look seriously at creating a full-time senior post for disability. I know we have a junior Minister. There are 595,355 people with a disability in Ireland. This is 13% of the population. There was an opportunity to do something about that. I know the new Minister for Health will be dealing with this issue as well. I say to him that it is very important not to forget that 45% of people with disabilities experience income poverty and 36% experience other forms of poverty.

Will the Minister ensure that everyone with a disability is guaranteed a high quality service as a right and prioritise funding for disability services in line with the Taoiseach and the former Tánaiste's pre-election commitments on disabilities? These are sensible ideas that should be listened to by all Members.

The Government needs to up its game on the economy and tax and fiscal policy. The SME sector should be focused on as a way of developing the economy and getting us out of the current mess.

I wish all the new Ministers well.

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