Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

On behalf of the Labour Party, I join the Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael in congratulating Pope Benedict XVI and wish him well in his awesome task. He succeeds a Pope who was never afraid to tell the great and the good where he stood on matters of peace and war. It is noteworthy that his namesake, Pope Benedict XV, sought to exercise an influence in preventing the First World War. I hope that is an omen for the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI.

I would like to believe there may be a change of direction in the governance of the Catholic church, in responding to the movement for social justice in South America and elsewhere in the world. I would like to believe the stance his predecessor adopted might be reviewed on the issue that is causing such devastation in Africa, the health-related and other matters that arise from the AIDS epidemic which is the cause of death for tens of thousands of people. On behalf of the Labour Party I join my colleagues in the House in offering the new Pope every good wish in his pontificate.

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