Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas agus comhghairdeas leis an gCeann Comhairle as a bheith tofa arís.

John B. Keane, the late, great Kerry playwright, once remarked that to be of Kerry is both a gift and an awesome responsibility. To be a first-time Deputy from the kingdom of Kerry addressing this august Chamber on the opening day of the Thirty-third Dáil is also a gift and a responsibility, one that is humbling and daunting in equal measure. Gabhaim buíochas arís leis an gCeann Comhairle as ucht an t-am agus an deis seo a thabhairt dom.

Anois rachaidh mé chuig obair thábhachtach an lae. Tairgim go n-ainmneoidh Dáil Éireann an Teachta Micheál Martin chun a cheaptha ag an Uachtarán mar Thaoiseach. I am new to this Chamber, but I recognise that the reality of the general election and the diverse nature of the House may mean that no Taoiseach will be elected today. No Deputy or leader can claim to speak on behalf of the will of the people. There are many mandates regarding the Government we should elect and the programme it should implement. However, this is an important moment for each Member to signal how we propose to use our mandate and how a new Government should be led. The objectives of Fianna Fáil are clear and its intentions are unambiguous. On its behalf, I am proud beyond measure to nominate Deputy Micheál Martin as Taoiseach. I do so mindful that he is determined to lead a Government which will not just talk about change but, rather, will deliver it. He will do so in a way which strengthens the social, economic, environmental and cultural pillars of our society.

The bard, William Shakespeare, sagely wrote:

... to thine own self be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

In a lifetime distinguished by public service, Deputy Micheál Martin has always remained true to himself, his people and his roots. Growing up in a working class family in Cork, he learned the core values of community, commitment, integrity and decency. His democratic republicanism and his belief in the duty of politics to serve all sections of our society have defined his time in office. If one looks fairly at his record, one will see that he has already achieved far more positive change than his loudest critics could ever hope to match. By any fair measure, he was a radically reforming and progressive Minister for Education and Science. In the area of special needs, he created the first programme of support for children with autism and, indeed, support for special needs in mainstream education. All Members are familiar with the need for additional child care assistants and educational psychologists. Before Deputy Martin was Minister for Education and Science, those services did not exist and, to our collective shame, children with special needs were often excluded in our schools. Never afraid to take a bold step, Deputy Martin began the expansion of the number of multi-denominational schools and gaelscoileanna by overturning 80 years of practice and entitling them to full funding for sites and building work. It is worth noting that he implemented the only reform to the primary school curriculum in the past 50 years. A series of initiatives he developed and implemented to tackle educational disadvantage led to the highest school completion rate in our history, a new era in expanding third level education and a dramatic increase in apprenticeships.

His radical changes to public health policy and the development of public cancer and cardiac services while Minister for Health and Children have saved tens of thousands of lives. As a result of his reforms, waiting lists for public patients in the health system were significantly lower than is currently the case, and falling further. This was all done within budget. As Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, he continued his radical work in developing the research capacity of our country and secured investment which has provided the foundation for industries which now employ tens of thousands of people. Of course, as Minister for Foreign Affairs he successfully led negotiations in Europe and with all parties in Northern Ireland. A hallmark of that work was his steady support, away from the cameras and set-piece meetings, for investing in concrete cross-Border projects and his reaching out to marginalised communities. Internationally, he pushed forwards Ireland's work on non-proliferation and in 2010 was the first foreign minister to bypass the blockade on Gaza and visit it to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis there.

The policies he has put forward as our priorities involve a mix of urgent action and longer-term reform to address the social, economic, environmental and cultural challenges facing our country. They represent a positive and progressive agenda, a people's agenda. All too often, Irish politics is highly personal and refuses to acknowledge the strengths of individuals. Time and again, Deputy Micheál Martin has shown a deep personal commitment to delivering important progress for this country. It is said that leadership is an action, not a position.

4 o’clock

In his deeds and actions throughout his political career, Deputy Micheál Martin has shown himself to be a constructive, inclusive and effective leader. I have no doubt that he will serve all the people of the country we love with integrity, insightfulness, nobility and decency in the office of Taoiseach. Arís, tairgím go n-aimneoidh Dáil Éireann an Teachta Martin chun a cheapadh ag an Uachtarán mar Thaoiseach.

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