Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are here debating the motion because the Opposition has decided the best use of Dáil time after the summer break was, once again, to assert a false claim which has been rejected by a former Supreme Court judge. Rather than focusing on the issues that affect people every day of their lives, such as job creation, housing or improving our health services, the Opposition would prefer that we spend today discussing a claim which does not stand up. Time and again, the Opposition made the false assertion that the Taoiseach effectively sacked the Garda Commissioner. Despite these claims, the Fennelly inquiry clearly finds that the former Commissioner took his own decision to retire. I have full confidence in the Taoiseach in how he handled the lead-up to the retirement of the former Commissioner, much like I have full confidence in the Taoiseach in his handling of the economy over the past four and a half years.

Under the Taoiseach's leadership, this country has been brought back from the brink. Back in 2011, we had lost our economic sovereignty, our international reputation was in tatters, unemployment was out of control and we had no money to invest in public services. I will give two apt examples of what is happening now. We are recruiting new gardaí and we are investing in the Garda fleet. As Deputies might remember, Fianna Fáil halted Garda recruitment in 2009 because it had destroyed the economy and had no money to take on new recruits. Between 2012 and 2014, this Government spent more than €400 million on the Garda budget than Fianna Fáil had proposed for the same period.

Such investment would not have been possible if this Government, with the support of the Irish people, had not taken painful steps to repair the economy and get this country back on a sustainable footing. By continuing to create jobs, we are sustaining the recovery. As more people are at work, we have more money to invest in public services like the Garda Síochána. We would not be in a position to invest in such services in the absence of the calm and considered leadership of the Taoiseach and his focus on improving the lives of people in this country. He has led this country through one of the most difficult times in its history. He has shown conviction in the face of adversity and courage in the face of difficult decisions. As a nation, we are now seeing the benefits of that. Some 120,000 jobs have been created. Ireland has the fastest growing economy in Europe. The unemployment rate has decreased from 15% to 9.5% and is continuing to fall.

Step by step, under the leadership of the Taoiseach, the Government has repaired the old broken Fianna Fáil model and replaced it with a sustainable economy based on enterprise and innovation. The more we move away from the failed policies of the past, the more we can deliver prosperity for the Irish people. Just one question that needs to be asked in the context of this confidence motion. Is this country a better place now than it was when Deputy Enda Kenny became Taoiseach? The only answer anyone can give to that question is "Yes". I have full confidence in him as Taoiseach and as leader of Fine Gael. I will be giving my full support to this motion.

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