Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Ba mhaith liom ar dtús mo bhuíochas agus mo chomhghairdeas a ghabháil leat, a Cheann Comhairle, as ucht a bheith tofa mar Cheann Comhairle ar an 30ú Dáil. I congratulate you on your appointment as Ceann Comhairle of the 30th Dáil. Coming as you do from Cahirciveen in the deep south, you bring with you a wonderful tradition from a county with which I have strong associations. In fact, you will now have to develop a little style of your own, as all your predecessors did, either by accent or by action. I recall asking a former Minister for Education, Mr. Richard Burke, who came from close to the location of a former distinguished Ceann Comhairle, Mr. Seán Treacy, where they got the accent. He said: "It's the limestone. It sticks in your throat." I am not sure what will be your quirk after five years.

It is an honour and a privilege to be nominated to contest the position of Taoiseach in this Dáil and House of Parliament. I thank Deputy Richard Bruton for nominating me on behalf of the Fine Gael Party and Deputy Pat Rabbitte for supporting that nomination on behalf of the Labour Party.

I congratulate Deputy Bertie Ahern and give him credit for his persistence and permanence in the political field in Ireland. For him, this is not just an honour; it is one that is almost unprecedented in that only one of his predecessors since the foundation of the State had the opportunity and privilege of serving three times as Taoiseach. I suppose we should all be glad for small mercies in that he has decided to begin the long glide to retirement, as he has already announced.

Standing in this position five years ago I said we would support the Government in the interests of the country where we felt that was necessary, and that we would oppose the Government and hold it to account where we felt that was necessary. We have had jousts in the House during Leaders' Questions and on other occasions but I accept the verdict of the people, the consequences of the proportional representation system and the decision of the Dáil today in nominating Deputy Bertie Ahern and confirming him as Taoiseach. Five years ago I set out to make him history but I did not quite get there on this occasion.

We live in a very different world than we did five years ago. Both nationally and internationally, things have turned on their head. Circumstances for the Taoiseach, as leader of the Government he is to announce, are very different from five years ago in terms of the economic challenge that faces the country and the changed national and international circumstances.

Given the Taoiseach's infernal ability to create or construct a Government of incompatibles, I must wish him well in what he does. He mentioned that he had been elected ten times over 30 years, which is true. At least in one respect, I have a slight edge on him in that I have been in the House for 32 years and have been elected 11 times. On this occasion, I have had the opportunity to bring back with me 20 new or re-elected Deputies. For me personally, this was the most enjoyable election campaign I have ever fought. To see democracy in one's own constituency gives one an understanding of the movement taking place but to lead a national campaign on behalf of a national party through 43 constituencies really brings home the impact and the importance of every single vote, and how important that is to our democracy.

I congratulate Deputy Bertie Ahern. I wish him well in his endeavours and in the challenge that faces him. I assure him that this party, with the increased mandate which we sought and were given, will support the Government in the interests of the country where we deem that appropriate and responsible, and we will continue to hold the Taoiseach and whatever Ministers he appoints to account on issues on which we feel they should be held to account. It was Einstein who said: "Try not to be a man of success; try also to be a man of value." I hope at the end of the Taoiseach's tenure of office that this is what the people will judge him by.

See this speech in context