Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le baill Dháil Éireann don onóir mhór a thug sibh dom inniu. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuilim ag déanamh mar a rinne na daoine ar éirigh leo a ainmniú mar Thaoiseach don dara huair. Glacaim go humhal leis an ainmniúchán seo. Ba mhór an onóir dom a bheith mar Thaoiseach agus céad bliain mar Stáit á gcomóradh againn.

Céad bliain ó shin, tháinig aisling na Saoirse i gcrích de réir mar a bhaineamar státacht amach. D’aithin an domhan ár neamhspleáchas. Ba cheart go mbeadh sé mar mhisean againn anois iarracht a dhéanamh cabhrú lenár dtír go ceann céad bliain chun na fadhbanna atá roimh mhuintir na hÉireann a réitigh agus chun dóchas a sholáthar in áit a bhfuil éiginnteacht agus éadóchas.

I am very proud of the State that was created 100 years ago under most extreme pressure. Throughout difficult crises and challenges, our democracy endured, survived and prospered. We won the ultimate freedom that all nations desire and develop to, as Michael Collins predicted. We owe a debt to men and women of all political parties and all traditions.

A crucial year in the history of our State was 1932, because that is when the wishes of the people were respected, the democratic principle was put ahead of all others and there was a peaceful transfer of power. The coming together of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil in a shared Government with the Green Party in 2020 was less significant, but was nonetheless another important moment in our history.

I want to take this opportunity to commend Deputy Micheál Martin on the leadership that he showed as Taoiseach, for putting the country before politics and for providing reassurance and hope during difficult times. In 2020, the incoming Taoiseach was unable to have his wife and family with him at the Convention Centre as he received the greatest honour of his life. That, too, was leadership and I am glad that they are with us today.

During the pandemic, we all saw the best of each other and it meant that the new coalition was born in a spirit of togetherness and hope. I intend that spirit to continue as we implement, with our partners in the Green Party, the agreed programme for Government.

I would also like to thank my family, friends and staff for their work, love and support. When we enter public life, we choose that path; our loved ones do not. I want them to know that my work as Taoiseach is driven by their example and I intend to honour their confidence in me. I also want to thank, in particular, my constituents in Dublin West for giving me the opportunity to serve as a Deputy and electing me on four occasions. All of us, whether we are Minister, leaders or Opposition spokespeople, know that our mandate ultimately derives from the people who vote for us on election day and for that I remain eternally grateful. I also want to thank all of the Deputies who supported my nomination from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, the Green Party and Independents.

When I became Taoiseach in June 2017, so much of the focus was on my election and what it represented and symbolised, which was understandable at the time. However, we should focus on where our country is now and what needs to be done as we prepare for our next century of statehood. Our history of the past 100 years has been about winning the additional freedoms that were denied to us or which we were unable to imagine at the time, such as becoming a Republic, becoming a place where people are not limited by their gender, religion, race, background or sexual orientation and becoming a country where you are free to be yourself.

So what are the challenges for the next 100 years? We have many and some of them we need to fix now, otherwise we will be betraying the current generation and the generations who come after us. I am thinking in particular of housing and how we have to go all out to turn to the corner on rising homelessness and falling home ownership. We need to accelerate our plan, Housing for All, making home ownership a reality for the many again. I am thinking of how we need to tame inflation and to bring the cost of living under control, especially when it comes to the cost of energy, childcare, education, rent and healthcare. I am thinking about climate and biodiversity, the challenges facing our planet and the need to set ourselves the ambition of becoming energy independent and to develop the ideas, systems and mechanisms to make sure that happens. I believe we can harness our massive, untapped renewable natural resources providing greater energy security, stable prices, more jobs and regional development. I am also thinking, as we all are, about the unprovoked war that has brought death and devastation to Ukraine. Today, I re-affirm our commitment to stand with our fellow Europeans in this harsh winter and to help them in every way we possibly can.

I am thinking of the Defence forces and of the men and women who put the safety of others above their own and, in particular, Private Seán Rooney. We offer our condolences to his fiancé, his family and his friends and our thoughts and prayers are also with Trooper Shane Kearney. We wish him a speedy recovery.

I am thinking of the Good Friday Agreement, which was agreed nearly 25 years ago, although fundamental elements of that agreement, of the Assembly and the Executive are still suspended. Dreams of the better future are not built on stalemates and status quo. I want to work with all parties in this House and in Northern Ireland as well as with the British Government and with our partners in the European Union to make progress on the Protocol and to restore the institutions of the Agreement.

I am also thinking of the most vulnerable in our society and especially children. We need to improve access to therapies, to provide better special needs education and to do more for those who need it the most. We also need to do more about child poverty and disadvantage. We know that poverty restricts child opportunity and it casts a long shadow over their lives. The number of children who are experiencing consistent poverty has fallen by 45,000. We are making progress but it still means that too many children are missing out on the everyday opportunities they deserve. I will speak more about these matters later on.

Ireland has never been a failed State and it is grotesque and dishonest to claim that we are or that we ever were. However, we are failing some of our citizens and it is essential to our success as a country that we spend the next two years doing all we can to put this right. In eight days’ time, most homes around the country will celebrate Christmas with presents and good cheer. Most, but not all. For some families and for some children, Christmas is a time of fear and uncertainty and a time of great unhappiness. The greatest resource of any country is its people so let us try to make sure that all our people have a fair chance, starting with our youngest, their health, continuing with their education and staying with their young people until they are able to create the future they want, providing them with the stepping stones to their ultimate freedom.

Our ambition is to make Ireland the best country in Europe in which to be a child. As Taoiseach, my mission will be to build on the achievement of 100 years ago and to work on what needs to be done for this generation and the next, providing hope and housing, economic opportunities and a fair start for all.

I accept this nomination by the Dáil with humility and resolve, with a burning desire to make good the promise of 100 years ago and to provide new hope and new opportunities for all of our citizens. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.

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