Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Ar dtús, ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an méid a dúirt an Taoiseach nua maidir leis an Ghaeilge. Tá súil agam go mbeidh toradh praiticiúil ar sin, mar shampla, le tacaíocht iomlán don tumoideachas, d'fhorbairt eacnamaíochta na Gaeltachta, do Bhille Teanga sna Sé Chontae agus do mhéadú ar úsáid na Gaeilge anseo san Oireachtas.

The departure of the former Taoiseach has been one of the longest goodbyes in political history. I do not begrudge him his moment of history in Washington or his day in the sun beside the River Boyne, but Fianna Fáil has been benefiting from a virtual political truce called by Fine Gael and Labour since he announced his resignation. I welcome the end of that unreal, almost surreal period. Along with the Progressive Democrats and the Green Party, these parties are in the "Yes" camp on the Lisbon treaty debate. They are clearly not representing the large swathes of their own support base who oppose the ratification of Lisbon. A cosy media consensus follows suit.

Fianna Fáil has been riding high as health cuts, education shortfalls, job losses and the overall economic slump were swept from the headlines. The politics of personality has reigned supreme. The new Taoiseach and Ministers may bask in the media spotlight today but tomorrow and the next weeks and months will present a very different reality. They will face massive challenges.

The new Taoiseach will take responsibility for the continued consolidation of the peace process and the developing all-Ireland political process. He brings with him his experience as Minister for Foreign Affairs. I believe his commitment is sincere. Like the former Taoiseach, the incoming Taoiseach has played his part. Tremendous progress has been made but it must be remembered that this is a process and that momentum must be maintained.

Yesterday was a good day and as an Irish republican I would see what happened at the site of the Battle of the Boyne not as commemorating two foreign kings who vied for the supremacy of Ireland and Britain at the cost of much Irish blood but as the celebration of new relationships among all the people who share this island.

The agreements of Good Friday in 1998 and St. Andrews in 2006 form the basis of these new relationships and of the successful new political dispensation. The transfer of policing and justice powers from London to Belfast is an essential requirement and it will be a serious setback if there is slippage from the promised date of transfer of powers in this month of May 2008. That is the biggest single challenge facing the new Taoiseach with regard to the all-Ireland political process. I urge him to spare no effort to ensure the delivery of that absolutely vital element of the agreements, on which so much progress has been made and on which rests so much hope for the future.

Sinn Féin seeks constructive consensus based on progressive politics. We seek all-party co-operation to build on the peace process, develop the all-Ireland political dynamic and work in a planned way towards the unification of our island and of all the people who call it home. We look forward to working with the new Taoiseach and his colleagues on that great national project.

The new Taoiseach is also a former health Minister. He preceded Deputy Micheál Martin, who anchored the Government health strategy of 2001, the longest list of broken promises ever to gather dust on a shelf. Deputy Martin was famous for commissioning reports but presided over an unreformed health service with escalating waiting lists. He in turn was succeeded by the present Minister, Deputy Mary Harney. Her term of office as health Minister has been nothing short of disastrous.

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