Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Solidarity-People Before Profit recognises the significance of having a Taoiseach who is a gay man with an Indian background. That is a massively positive comment on the changing social attitudes in Ireland that have allowed that to come about. We saw that in the marriage equality referendum which was driven by young people and resoundingly endorsed in working class communities. Deputy Varadkar will ultimately be judged by the policies and positions he takes on those issues.

We also encourage the involvement of migrants in politics. Migrants have many different views. Last weekend, I spoke at the formation of a left group, Kranthi, in the Indian community. I hope that migrants will get involved to get the type of change that is really necessary, which is to change people's lives through a massive transformation in how wealth is owned and controlled.

Deputy Varadkar will take the helm at a critical time when the people's aspirations are going way beyond what the system is prepared to offer. After a decade of brutal austerity, in which Deputy Varadkar was very involved, it seems that what was taken in the recession is not going to be restored. Two-tier pay and a second class status for young people will be made permanent.

It is for this reason that in a host of countries, including the United States, France and the UK, we have seen a political earthquake. We have seen huge enthusiasm for left and socialist policies. In Ireland this is causing a nervousness among sections of the establishment which want a firmer right hand at the helm. It looks like that will be found in Deputy Varadkar. He made insidious comments during the election campaign about welfare cheats. The phrase about people getting up early in the morning will haunt Deputy Varadkar for decades. We know what he meant and the code he was using. He was not referring to the homeless families from Dublin west who get up early to bring their kids to school because they are in far-flung bed and breakfast establishments. It was a divisive comment and a smear against people who have lost their jobs or who cannot work. It was also untrue, because he called for a ban on the right to strike for many people who get up very early every morning, for example, firefighters, hospital staff and bus drivers.

Deputy Varadkar is certainly more upfront about being a hardliner for capitalism and in effect a representative of the rich and the elite. He spoke about a republic of opportunity. In 1987 Margaret Thatcher launched a policy under the name of land of opportunity. The top 300 in this country have doubled their wealth during the recession, yet 10% of Traveller children die before the age of two. What will the Deputy do about those opportunities?

There is an eagerness in this country for massive social change, for equality, women's rights and abortion rights. We have heard from some new converts to those ideas today. There is a huge gap between how most people outside this Chamber feel and how they are represented in this Dáil. I do not envy Deputy Varadkar. He is a representative of the neo-liberal policies that people are rebelling against in country after country, and his policies can only increase the potential for a left movement in this country. Bring it on.

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