Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom i dtús báire ar son Pháirtí Fhianna Fáil agus ar mo shon féin buíochas a ghabháil leis an Taoiseach as ucht na hoibre a chuir sé isteach ar son mhuintir na tíre. Tírghráthóir ab ea é a chuir an daonlathas chun tosaigh i gcónaí ina chuid oibre. Tá 42 bliain caite aige mar Theachta Dála ag freastal ar mhuintir Mhaigh Eo agus tá siad buíoch as. Tá súil agam go mbainfidh an Taoiseach agus a bhean céile, Fionnuala, taitneamh agus tairbhe as na blianta atá le teacht.

On behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party, I acknowledge the Taoiseach's resignation and wish him the best in the years ahead. Today's announcement is perhaps attended by less drama than is usual in circumstances such as these. In recent months, the Taoiseach has given a master class to certain of his colleagues in how to manoeuvre a difficult situation in a beneficial direction. Rather than disappearing quietly at the first sign of panic from Deputies more focused on polls than the work of government, he has managed events so that they have proceeded at his desired pace. He has ensured that those who were stalking the corridors in search of journalists to brief against him have been obliged to issue lengthy statements describing him as the greatest Irishman since Brian Boru. The mischievous enjoyment he has taken in this has been a genuine joy to behold.

The Taoiseach came to this House as a young man and has witnessed many major figures here in the years since. He has seen eight others hold the office from which he will resign today and leave some time after 2 p.m. tomorrow. This experience means he does not need anyone to tell him that it is not colleagues or columnists who determine one's place in history; it is the perspective of time which will provide this.

The Taoiseach and I are from different political parties and I and my party have opposed him in many things. We have fought against him in tough elections and debated with him on every available occasion. There is no useful purpose to be served by going over those disputes. Throughout his time in elected office and in government he has been a proud representative of his community, political tradition and country. He is today, as he always has been, an Irish patriot and democrat. The office he leaves is the most significant in a State which is one of the world's longest continuous democracies. It is central to the Irish democratic republican tradition which has achieved so much and which overcame immense challenges in the past half century in particular.

Sport has always been important for the Taoiseach and the failure of Mayo to lift the Sam Maguire Cup during his term has been a great burden for him. However, his interest in sport has always been much wider. I share with him a love of the great days of boxing, particularly the "We were kings" era. This was something I learned at home from my late father whose boxing exploits are still a great source of pride for our family. I know the Taoiseach was often inspired looking at the great encounters of the early and mid-1970s. The look of sheer joy on his face was unmissable when he met his hero, Muhammad Ali, early in his term. Ali once said, "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will [achieve] nothing in life." The Taoiseach was courageous when he agreed to take over the leadership of his party when it was at such a low ebb in 2002. He was courageous when he decisively faced down those who challenged him and then went on to win the 2011 general election. Most of all, it was incredibly courageous of him to give his heart and soul to working on his job in Dublin knowing that Michael Ring was back in Mayo stealing his votes. I know he will continue to represent the people of Mayo in Dáil Éireann-----

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