Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I begin by recognising the contribution and achievement of the former Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan. It is an honour to follow in his footsteps in leading the Department of Finance in addition to my current responsibilities at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. In the budget that I had the honour of introducing in the House with the former Minister, Deputy Noonan, I concluded my words with a statement.

It was a statement used by others in the same debate, namely, that the centre must hold and that we must find a way of reassuring those who are looking for progress and stability that centrist, normal politics is capable of delivering it to them. The election of the Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, and a Cabinet that is honoured to serve him, is an important development that deserves the support of some in the House and, I hope, the interests of those outside the House. What the Taoiseach recognised in his contribution as a member of the Fine Gael Party in his efforts to become leader of Fine Gael is that in the face of the vacuous negativity that we hear on a constant basis from Sinn Féin and other Members of the far left, it is not enough to hold the centre, we must redefine, re-energise and renew it. That is what the election of this Taoiseach, whose life story and achievements in political life reflect the kind of Ireland that all of us aspire to create, is about. I salute and recognise Deputies who are willing to play their part, make the hard choices and seek to be constructive in electing a Government and to at least allow it to serve before condemning it and criticising it as a failure, as others seek to do.

The Taoiseach has asked us - it will be my privilege as Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform to do so - to look at what more steps can be taken to ensure that we have a republic of opportunity and to ensure we have a society and not just an economy that is capable of delivering opportunity for all, regardless of where one comes from, where one is born or one's age. That is the kind of Ireland that this Government, consisting of Fine Gael and colleagues in the Independent Alliance and other Independent Members, is committed to doing. Some of the contributors to this debate, including Deputy Mattie McGrath, Deputy Broughan and the Social Democrats, referenced the need for action but they showed no interest in coming into government. What we have heard from them tonight is a desire to point of what is wrong. We know what is wrong. We know what needs to be changed. We know the opportunities that our country has to meet. We know the anguish that we must seek to quench.

Some Members spoke about our national debt, with no recognition of the progress that has been made in reducing our deficit or of the fact that, as we move into next year, this Government will ensure that our country does not need to borrow to fund the public services on which we depend. As they point to what we need to achieve in regard to child poverty, for example, could they not also recognise that in 2015 a total of 13,000 children were lifted out of poverty. It is our desire and ambition to create a society in which more children, families and older people are lifted out of poverty and an Ireland that reflects the ambitions, hopes and worth of all citizens. That is what this Administration, led by the Taoiseach, is determined to do.

I heard so many members of the far left describe this House as a bubble. It is not a bubble. This is a Parliamentary Chamber in which the voices of the people of Ireland are represented and in which those voices are heard. This Administration will hear those voices, their dreams and their concerns. It will seek to build on what has been done and to achieve far more. I had the privilege this morning of attending the re-opening of the wings of the National Gallery of Ireland along with the outgoing Taoiseach, on whose foundations we will all seek to build. It is more than a place: it is a space in which people can come together to look at our arts and to reflect on it, all of which was facilitated by the changes in our economy that so many here tonight said would never happen.

See this speech in context