Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Ar dtús báire, is mian liom mo chomhghairdeas a chur in iúl don Cheann Comhairle. Gan dabht, tá éacht déanta aici. Ní raibh bean riamh sa Chathaoir, ról nó cóta sin. Tá éacht déanta aici agus níl amhras ar bith orm ach go mbeidh sí cóir agus cothrom agus í ag déileáil linne sa Dáil.

On a more general level, the people of this beautiful country are crying out for change. They are crying out for leadership that will guide us through the transformative action that is necessary to deal with climate change and the normalisation of wars, both of which are intrinsically linked. That change simply cannot happen with the same parties who fail to recognise that we cannot proceed with business as is. It is no longer an option. I have given my word that I will be part of that change but I will do it in a manner that enshrines inclusiveness, equality and sustainability. The first step in that is housing as a right. A radical reset in housing policy is urgently required, as set out by the Housing Commission. We cannot proceed with a policy that results in the obscenity of 15,000 people being homeless. People in this country are desperately seeking to place their trust in a political system that delivers public services in return for taxation, but the existing political parties, with the help of the Independents, cannot achieve that.

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