Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Thanks, a Cheann Comhairle and congratulations on your re-election. I suppose this effort shows how you are very much protecting the individual rights of every parliamentarian to have his or her say today. I congratulate you on your re-election.

I stand in support of the motion to elect Deputy Varadkar as Taoiseach. He is a man and a parliamentarian who has served our country with distinction and has discharged the duties of his office at a very difficult time in a minority Government with great diligence, passion, commitment and at all times in the national interest.

I thank the people of Wicklow for re-electing me to Dáil Éireann and for the faith they have put in me in that regard. I look forward to working as hard as I possibly can for them.

I particularly congratulate and welcome new Members to this House across the political divide. This is an important and significant day for them, for their family and their supporters. We all know how difficult it is to get elected to Dáil Éireann and regardless of political persuasion, I offer huge congratulations to each of them. I remember delivering my maiden speech in this House in 2011, nominating Enda Kenny to be Taoiseach on that occasion. It was much more straightforward nominating someone to be Taoiseach back then; it only took one go. I particularly congratulate those who have given their maiden speeches today. It is always daunting on one's first day to stand up in what is a packed Chamber with the country watching and give one's first words. I wish them all well.

It is right that we hear of the many challenges that face our country. There are many challenges. If there were not, none of us would want to be in this place trying to fix them. However, this is a country of which I am very proud. It is a country in which many things continue to go well. Some of the labels we have heard in recent days, and perhaps even in recent hours, are a little too simplistic. We talk a lot about winners and losers. That is too simplistic. My party lost seats and lost votes. However, everybody in here won a mandate and everybody's mandate is equal. Other parties did very well and they won more seats. I congratulate them in that regard but they did not win enough to put together a Government on their own. If they did, it would perhaps be straightforward. The people have given us a complex and fragmented result and we need to grapple with that in the coming days and weeks.

A second label we have heard a lot about is the change mantle. Change is important but it cannot merely become a mantra. We have seen it overly simplified in recent days as well. Each individual in this House has contributed to change, be it change in his or her community, change in legislation or constitutional change. We all want to be agents of change. Few of us here can achieve that change on our own. This idea that someone owns change and the rest of us are delighted with the status quois simply not true. It is a bit Trump-like to suggest that one group of people wants change and the other group of people is delighted with everything the way it is. That is not true either.

We need to be careful with our language. I am sure we all do it; I am sure I have done it. Divisive language does not serve us well. We all need to try and be a little less partisan. Everybody in here wants to do his or her best. In fact, we are at our best when we collaborate, as we saw in many areas.

Today is important because it gives visual effect to the result that the Irish people have cast. It will also show that the decision of my party to allow the party which won the most votes try to form a Government has not succeeded on this occasion. There will be a great deal for us all to reflect on, not only in our party or our tribal interest but in the national interest, in the coming days and weeks.

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