Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Tairgim:

Go n-ainmneoidh Dáil Éireann an Teachta Leo Varadkar chun a cheaptha ag an Uachtarán mar Thaoiseach.

I move:

That Dáil Éireann nominate Deputy Leo Varadkar for appointment by the President to be Taoiseach.

I also congratulate the Ceann Comhairle on his return to office, which he has discharged with distinction and fairness in the past. I wish him well and commiserate with Deputy Naughten.

I think that one could say many things in proposing outgoing Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, for the office of incoming Taoiseach. One thing that has to be mentioned and recognised is that he was not afraid to take on challenges. There were many challenges. Being the Head of a Government, or a minority Government, is a challenge at any time. He accepted that challenge when many cynics around the country said that it would not last for six weeks or six months. He proved them wrong. He stood up to the challenge, with the support of the main Opposition party. Even then there were challenges. That is the first thing that I would like the House to remember in doing what we have to do today.

There was another very serious challenge at European level with another country leaving the European Union, all that went with it, and the challenges to this country. The first thing that he had to do was to marshal and bring together in unison the forces of the European Union on the side of this country and the island of Ireland, North and South. That was no mean feat and it would be a challenge to any leader, anywhere in Europe, to do something similar, especially in a Europe that had some discordant voices over the last number of years. In putting forward his name today, we should all reflect on those two issues.

One thing that had to happen with a minority Government was stability. Deputy Varadkar achieved that without any shadow of doubt. Again, it was with the support of Opposition parties with regard to Brexit. Choosing the battleground and the issue was crucial. He chose the issue and decided in the short time of two and a half years that he was Taoiseach to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, and brought matters to a satisfactory conclusion. Nobody can deny that and it is an example to all from hereon and a performance to emulate, because there will be many challenges in the future.

Is onóir mhór domsa a bheith anseo inniu chun Teachta Varadkar a ainmniú d'oifig an Taoisigh. I believe that he has discharged that office with distinction, courage and conviction. He has fazed those who stood against him achieving the common good for this country. He has done that very successfully and will do so again. I am not saying for one moment that any of the people about to be proposed for that office are in any way less honourable, but that tests remain and all will depend on how the various applicants stand up to those tests in facing the challenges that lie ahead.

I apologise for my hoarseness. I was not exactly cheering. I think it is an appropriate time to borrow a phrase from our national sporting organisation. A few years ago, its slogan stated "Nobody said it was going to be easy." It repeated that again and again during latter stages of the championship after especially gruesome outings. It was the same for the Government over the last three years.

Nobody ever said it would be easy. When the job is completed satisfactorily and it appears to have been easy, that is as a result of the skills, determination and leadership of the person whose responsibility it was to make it look easy. Deputy Varadkar did that job successfully.

See this speech in context