John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I cannot beat you on that, a Cheann Comhairle. I join with everybody in the House in my congratulations. I want to be realistic. My main worry is not 19,000 votes the next time but possibly twice that number because of what is happening here today.

I am delighted to be in the Chamber as a Member of this Dáil to see our colleague from Laois-Offaly, Deputy Brian Cowen, becoming Taoiseach. I am glad to see his family here, his wife, his mother in particular, his brothers, Christy and Barry, and his daughters. The only pity is that Ber Cowen himself is not here today. More is the pity that his uncle Vinny only died in the past three weeks, who I think was the real politician in the Cowen family.

I was surprised Brian Cowen only got 88 votes. There was so much praise for him in this Chamber in the past few weeks that I expected members of the Opposition to come over and vote with us on this occasion. To quote my colleague, Deputy Seán Fleming, we are united in Laois-Offaly. My hope is that from this day on we would remain so loyal and friendly.

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