Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Enda Kenny also gave me the opportunity to serve on the Front Bench and then to serve as a Minister, along with an opportunity to demonstrate my ability and potential. Without opportunity, there is no hope and there can be no progress. This is a theme to which I will return later. Deputy Enda Kenny's leadership also enabled me to become an equal citizen in my own country only two short years ago and to aspire to hold this office - an aspiration which I once thought was beyond my reach, at least if I chose to be myself. I would like the outgoing Taoiseach to know that those of us who take on the torch of leadership here today will protect all that he has achieved and make him proud of us by building on all that he has done for the country.

Later today, I will be speaking to Prime Minister Theresa May and I will be passing on the sympathies of the Dáil and the Irish people following the terrible fire in London last night. The United Kingdom has been through some dreadful and terrible tragedies in recent weeks. To its people, on behalf of this House, we offer our sympathies, solidarity and support.

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