Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas ach go háirithe leo siúd a chaith vóta dom sa toghchán is déanaí agus a thug an deis dom teacht ar ais go dtí an Dáil don séú huair mar Teachta Dála do Bhaile Átha Cliath Lár Theas. Mo bhuíochas le mo bhean agus mo chlann, na tacadóirí agus iad siúd a chaith vóta ar mo shon le linn an toghcháin sin. Ní sin an fáth a bhfuil mé ag seasamh os bhur gcomhair, áfach, ach ag lorg bhur vóta sa toghchán atá romhainn.

Tá bród orm seasamh anseo ainmnithe ag mo pháirtí chun dul san iomaíocht le bheith mar Cheann Comhairle ar an gCeathrú Dáil is Tríocha. Smaoiním, agus mé ag seasamh anseo, ar an gcéad Cheann Comhairle ar an gCéad Dáil, Cathal Brugha, agus an lá cinniúnach a bhí ann nuair a léigh sé an "Fhaisnéis Neamhspleádhchuis" thar ceann na Dála agus an náisiúin. Rinne sé é sin as Gaeilge ar dtús báire. Tá an Ghaeilge an-tábhachtach dom, don náisiún agus don fhóram seo, an Dáil. Is í ár dteanga náisiúnta í agus príomhtheanga oifigiúil an Stáit de réir Bhunreacht na hÉireann. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbeadh Teachta ar bith in ann an Ghaeilge a úsáid agus a labhairt agus muinín acu go ndéanfaidh Ceann Comhairle an lae an ceart sin a chosaint agus na rialacha a chur i bhfeidhm ar chomhchéim leo siúd a bheidh ag labhairt as Béarla. Tá sé tábhachtach go léiríonn an Ceann Comhairle ceannaireacht chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn sa Teach seo agus lasmuigh, más féidir.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Seán Ó Fearghaíl as na hocht mbliana a chaith sé ag tabhairt faoin dualgas sa ról sin, áit ar chuir sé an Ghaeilge chun cinn i gcónaí. Guím gach rath air agus ar na hiarrthóirí eile ag lorg an phoist seo inniu. Seo ceann de na deiseanna atá ag Teachtaí Dála aonaracha seasamh a ghlacadh chun cinntiú go mbeidh an Dáil seo neamhspleách ar an Rialtas. Tá scileanna ar leith de dhíth chun an post seo a chomhlíonadh i gceart.

There are key skills for the Teachta Dála who is to be entrusted with the position of Ceann Comhairle, the 20th Ceann Comhairle since Cathal Brugha opened the Chéad Dáil as Gaeilge 105 years ago. He or she should have those skills. As I mentioned as Gaeilge, in a bilingual House with two official languages we need a Chair who can monitor and, if necessary, step in and apply the rules and protections of this House equally to everyone, whether it be as Gaeilge nó as Béarla. The first official language of the State is Irish. The Irish text of our Constitution and the laws trumps the English versions for legal purposes. The most senior officer in this House should be competent in that language and be able to guide and assist others with the language too.

Every Teachta Dála deserves a Ceann Comhairle who knows and understands the Standing Orders and procedures well enough to vindicate their rights from the get-go. Most importantly, the Ceann Comhairle must be an impartial Chair who, rather than seeking the limelight for himself or herself, facilitates Members across the House coming together in a constructive manner, in the best interests of all the people. He or she must unquestionably be independent of government. This is vital to ensure the primacy of the Dáil and your rights as a Teachta Dála, whether as a Government backbencher or Opposition TD, to hold Ministers accountable, defend the interests of your constituents and ensure the public trust in our democratic institutions and the checks and balances.

As a parliamentarian, you are being asked to choose the person you think best suited to hold this high office, which is not in the gift of the Taoiseach of the day. There are people in this room who are diametrically opposed to what I believe in. We have been together, though, on parliamentary delegations, representing what is best for Ireland. We have been on Oireachtas committees, working together for the best outcomes, or in this Chamber, on opposite sides of the argument, but we are still friends, so much so that I cheekily reached out to some of those on the opposite benches looking for a vote. I hope, given that it is a secret ballot, that many will cast a vote my way today.

It is important that we have a Ceann Comhairle who reminds us to have regard for each other. We are all humans with families and feelings. We need to respect each other, respect the mandate each and every one of us in this room has to represent the people and respect the fact that we are legislators. We might not always agree and we can be boisterous in this Chamber, but there is no need to be hurtful or downright hateful. We can have, and have had, a long parliamentary tradition of debate and disagreement in a civil way. Our committee system in this Oireachtas shows that we can work together for the betterment of all.

I believe I have demonstrated my abilities in chairing the Dáil on many occasions in the last Dáil and in chairing Oireachtas committees over the last number of Dáileanna. My membership of parliamentary friendship groups and the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly demonstrates my ability to be fair to all, to listen, to give everyone time to develop their point and to implement the rules with no favour. I have been a member of the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform and the Committee on Procedure and Privilege, now called the committee on parliamentary oversight. I have been a whip in this House for 18 of the more than 22 years that I have been here. I have been on both those committees for more than 22 years. I have been on many other committees in this House. I have demonstrated and learned in those times the respect for parliamentary procedures and also respect for each and every one who is sitting here in front of me, and those who were not elected and have left this Chamber on this occasion.

I ask you today, when casting your vote, to ask yourself who will stand up for the primacy of this House. Go raibh maith agaibh.

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