Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Taoiseach-elect and his family on this very special day. I also compliment and wish well the deputy leader, Deputy Coveney, who always had a great work ethic. He proved this very much during the talks and negotiations for the formation of this Government.

Coming to the programme for Government, the Taoiseach-elect has an awful lot of work to do. For instance, on the hospital services and waiting lists, more than 660,000 people are waiting for operations and procedures. I have said consistently in this House that people are going blind in our country waiting to have cataracts removed. People waiting to have hip operations are in agony.

There was a commitment in the programme for Government to our post office network. I will be calling on the Taoiseach-elect to deliver on that commitment in the programme for Government to save our post offices. It is so easy for him to do it. All he needs to do is implement the Private Members' motion that was brought before this Dáil by me, Deputy Mattie McGrath and our group, and all of the people who were here supported it.

People are waiting for a life-saving drug, Respreeza. People are suffering from Lyme disease. The Taoiseach-elect can help them. There are commitments in the programme for Government including an liquefied natural gas, LNG, project for north Kerry. That has to be delivered on.

During the leadership election, the Taoiseach-elect said that he promised an awful lot to be done for self-employed people. An awful lot has to be done for them because they are the people who are giving local employment. I want the Taoiseach-elect to live up to his commitment to them.

Our farmers are in dire trouble. The troubles in the Brexit negotiations and what that will mean for tourism in our country are very important. I agree with Deputy Mattie McGrath, who spoke about those who would like to quench the speaking time of smaller groups and parties in this House. That is wrong. As Deputy Lowry said, everyone in here is entitled to his or her say, whether in a small group or a big group.

The Cabinet proved yesterday that it can do an awful lot and can expedite an awful lot of work if it wishes to do so. On that, people were critical of the Minister, Deputy Ross. I compliment Deputy Ross on Stepaside Garda station being opened again. The only thing that is wrong with some people is that they might be jealous of the fact that he was able to do it.

On better funding for students who cannot access SUSI grants, the Taoiseach-elect has to live up to the commitment in the programme for Government. Home help hours and a fair deal for a people who stayed home have to be delivered, as well as respite services and the bereavement grant should be restored. The recovery that we hear about is not being felt by everyone. There are 5,000 people on the housing list in County Kerry. I want the Taoiseach-elect to deal with that. The tenant purchase scheme is useless because it debars 82% of the people from accessing the right to purchase their home. The Taoiseach-elect has to deal with that. I call on him to ensure that the motor and house insurance issues we are trying to deal with are tackled. We do not have broadband and Internet in County Kerry. Our mobile phone service in County Kerry is atrocious at the moment.

I am abstaining on the vote here today because the Taoiseach-elect asked me to do so. I am also doing it because I believe there is nothing productive to be gained by voting against him today. I really believe that. On abstaining, I do not like abstaining on any vote. I only did it once ever before in my life and I am doing it again here today for a good reason. I want to allow the Taoiseach-elect to get on with a programme for Government. I want him to deliver on the programme for Government and to do the things such as keeping our post offices open. That is the reason I am supporting. The Taoiseach-elect should just remember one final call: I ask him on behalf of the people of rural Ireland to please remember that the world does not stop at the Red Cow roundabout.

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