Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I again wish you every success in your position as Ceann Comhairle and confirm that my colleagues and I in the Sinn Féin Party will co-operate with you during the course of the Dáil term before us. There is a collective responsibility on all of us who are elected to the Dáil to govern fairly in the interests of the people. That is something the electorate wants us to do regardless of the party differences that are clearly represented in this House. I remember stating at the outset of the 29th Dáil that there should be co-operation among all parties in advancing progressive legislation on which we can all agree. This is often forgotten in the heat of inter-party rivalry. The Dáil as a whole is elected to legislate for the people. For that reason, it is important that we set down at the outset that it is essential that all voices in this House are respected and treated equally. That is a critical factor on this first day of the new Dáil.

While I regret that the election has reinforced the dominant position of the two main conservative parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, it is also evident that the Labour Party, in tying itself so closely to Fine Gael, has only facilitated the latter's return here with even greater numbers. There is clearly no electoral benefit for the Labour Party. The outcome has been negative for the broad left in Irish politics. Similarly, the decision of the Green Party to form a coalition with Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats is a bad day for progressive politics in this State. The coalition that is presented before us is an extraordinary one, to say the least.

We are particularly concerned that it points to a continuation of many of the most abhorrent policies that the outgoing Government pursued relentlessly, not least in the whole area of the health portfolio. The programme for Government as presented will see the continuation of the scandalous and disgraceful hospital co-location scheme. The Sinn Féin Deputies cannot as a party support the establishment of a new Government that will see Deputy Harney, with respect to her on a personal basis, as the acting head of the Progressive Democrats, return to her ministerial office. We do not know as we speak whether she will have the health and children portfolio, but it is clear that the electorate has spoken and has roundly rejected the malign influence of the Progressive Democrats in the 29th Dáil, which most particularly represented itself in the pursuit of the policies in the health domain for which she was responsible in the concluding two to two and a half years. This encouraged inequalities in Irish society and sought to deepen rather than address responsibly for the growing gulf in Irish society between those who have and those who continue to struggle on a day-by-day basis.

For these reasons, we cannot support the nomination of Deputy Bertie Ahern for the position of Taoiseach in the 30th Dáil. He has not demonstrated in the weeks since the election that he intends to change course in this area and many related areas, including the issue of stopovers at Shannon Airport by United States forces intent on continuing their imperialist endeavour in Iraq. There are many issues that we could address here, many of the failures of the outgoing Government that we see being continued by this new Administration under Deputy Bertie Ahern. It is with regret that I say we cannot find it within ourselves to support his nomination or that of Deputy Kenny, who claims to represent an alternative to the outgoing Government now emboldened by the Green Party and a number of Independents.

We cannot support another five years of privatisation of our health services while public hospital beds are not delivered, accident and emergency units throughout the country are overcrowded, MRSA is rampant, and those who provide critical services find it impossible to carry out their work as they would wish. The list is endless. There is nothing in what either nominee presents that will address any of these critical issues. We will therefore oppose both of them and will continue as a party determined to give a radical voice and a real alternative for the Irish people in this Chamber in the coming years, whatever the duration of this Government.

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