Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Tá sé deacair seasamh anseo agus mé féin a chur os comhair an Tí mar iarrthóir sa toghchán seo. Tá sé deacair mé féin a mholadh. I ndáiríre, ní hé sin atá i gceist agam mar tá ról an Leas-Cheann Comhairle ró-thábhachtach do mholadh.

Táim ag seasamh anseo mar bhean láidir, le taithí agus le cáilíochtaí cuí, agus mar dhuine a bhí ag feidhmiú mar chathaoirleach ar feadh tréimhse ó 2016. Le linn na tréimhse sin, tá súil agam gur shaothraigh mé bhur meas mar chathaoirleach a bhí cóir agus cothrom. Táim ag seasamh anseo inniu ag lorg bhur dtacaíocht. Chuir sé gliondar ar mo chroí nuair a chuir mé m’ainm chun cinn agus fuair mé tacaíocht ó na páirtithe beaga uile, ó Shinn Féin agus ó ghrúpaí éagsúla neamhspleácha. Thug sé sin spreagadh dom leanúint ar aghaidh.

Tá sé tábhachtach go gcuirtear bean chun cinn don phost seo. Níl mé ag lorg bhur dtacaíocht nó bhur vótaí mar bhean, ach mar dhuine atá ábalta agus atá taithí aici. Chomh maith leis sin, tá deis ag Teachtaí inniu cinneadh a dhéanamh chun an stair a athrú. Le breis agus céad bliain anois, ní raibh bean riamh sa Chathaoir sin mar Cheann Comhairle nó mar Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Tá na fíricí liom agus ní mór dom iad a chur san áireamh. Tá sé tábhachtach go gcuirtear bean chun cinn mar, taobh amuigh den Rialtas agus ceannairí an Fhreasúra, is iad róil an Cheann Comhairle agus an Leas-Cheann Comhairle na róil ab fheiceálaí do mhuintir na tíre. Sin iad na daoine a fheiceann muintir na tíre ag stiúradh na Dála seo agus is gné lárnach den phróiseas daonlathach iad.

I stand here before my fellow colleagues today. It is not easy to stand here and praise myself, but that is not my purpose. I am standing on my record as a politician, locally from 1999, as Mayor of Galway, and of working in different employments, which has been a privilege and has added to my experience. I hope that since 2016 I have earned the respect of my colleagues as a fair and just chairperson. I realise the fundamental importance of the role of Leas-Cheann Comhairle, and that of the Ceann Comhairle, which has been honourably filled by an Teachta Seán Ó Fearghaíl. It is essential that we have somebody who realises the importance of the role and the essential aspect of that to the functioning of democracy in this Chamber.

In 101 years, there has never been a female in the Chair, either as Ceann Comhairle or as Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I point that out not by way of saying, please vote for me as a woman, but because, first, it is very important symbolically that we have had a list of male Chairs and males in the position of Leas-Cheann Comhairle and, uimhir a dó, that there has never been a woman, but uimhir a trí, it is the most visible aspect of our democracy outside of the Taoiseach, the Government and the leaders of the Opposition. The Ceann Comhairle and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle are the most visible aspect of our democracy. They are what the people of Ireland see, and it is important that we have gender equality in that role. It is important that we take that step today based on capability and experience. It is very important to me and to the people to whom I have spoken that the role would be filled by a Member of the Opposition, in the interests of balance and appearances, but also in the interests of reality, so that we would have a balance ensuring that democracy takes place in this Chamber and, I hope, in the Dáil as soon as possible.

I assure the House that in recent years I have gained a deep insight into the role of Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I have learned – it has been a humbling experience for me – to listen from that seat to the effort made by all Deputies to represent their constituencies. If elected, I promise to continue to be fair and just. I realise that Deputies are elected to speak for the people who elected them, and I hope there will be an alignment at some time in the future between doing one's best for the people and also for the common good. Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir agus táim ag tnúth leis an toghchán.

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