Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A Cheann Comhairle, I also want to begin by wishing you continued success in your role as re-elected Ceann Comhairle for this Dáil. You were a model of fairness in overseeing the previous Dáil and I am sure you will continue to be the same in this one.

I also thank my constituents. I thank the people of Dublin Central for re-electing me on the second occasion. As I do so, I speak in support of the proposal for the election of Deputy Varadkar as Taoiseach. The job of being Taoiseach of our country is such a unique and demanding one that one can only perhaps appreciate what is involved in the job if one either does the job or has the great privilege of working for the person who does it. I have had the privilege of working for two successive taoisigh. I have seen the demands involved in the job and the genuinely awesome responsibility involved in being Head of Government and leader of our country. I have seen Deputy Varadkar rise to those challenges, representing our country abroad and in looking to make progress on what we need to make progress on in our country.

On that point, while I have heard Deputy after Deputy speak about the need for change, and I agree with them as I represent the constituents of Dublin Central and continue to be aware of progress that we need to make in our health service and in providing more and better homes for citizens. As we do so, let us not do so at the expense of failing to acknowledge there are many aspects of this country that are good and many public services that work. Deputy O'Dowd, in passionately making the case for better health services for his constituents, acknowledged that we have a hospital in his constituency in which improvements are under way. When we speak about what our educational services need to do better, let us also acknowledge that we have, for example, primary schools where the care and support for young boys and girls provided is something all of our county should be proud of, and is such an important achievement that all in this House should be proud of.

Something I have only heard mentioned once, by Deputy Fitzmaurice, is that in acknowledging the need for change, while also making the case for what is good about this great country of ours, we need economics. We need an economy that can sustain this. This Dáil is responsible for a small, open economy at a moment of great change in that what we may take for granted at present we might not be able to take for granted in a number of years' time. As this Dáil rises to that challenge, let us remember that the sole criterion for a Government in this Dáil is a Government that can command a majority of votes in this Dáil. As Deputy Michael McGrath stated, a Government that can bring forward a programme for Government solely must be a Government that has a majority of votes in this Parliament.

I heard Deputy Michael Healy-Rae conclude passionately on the effects of social media, particularly on our young people, and the effect of words on those who could be vulnerable. It is my hope that as this Dáil begins, we can occasionally remember the effect our words can have in public life. We might sometimes remember that this is a Dáil in which we are not enemies of one another even though we may be opponents of one another. This is a Dáil that, by the discourse we use and by the tone we adopt, subtly but crucially sets the guard rails within which our democracy flows. That is such an important responsibility that it is too great to sit with any one Government; it sits with all of us who have the privilege of representing our constituents.

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