Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is a great honour and privilege for me to be here to give my maiden speech representing the people of Louth and east Meath and my home town of Drogheda, the largest town in the country, which is a city by population, a city at heart and a city in all but name. With my Drogheda colleagues here in this Chamber, we will endeavour to make that happen. I cannot emphasise enough just how proud I am as a young republican woman to represent those people here today, people I grew up, went to school and worked with, people I have come to know through my various passions in my community.

I stand here in the middle of an expanded Sinn Féin parliamentary team of 39 TDs, the largest number in a century. We are a mix of youth and experience, men and proud women, all with a common objective, hunger and desire to work for the people of Ireland in every corner of Ireland and in every townland, village, town, city and city-to-be. We were elected as a result of a campaign of hope and positive change and our task, and my task now, is to ensure from today, day one, that we do our utmost to deliver that. That positive change is what all the people of Louth, east Meath and Ireland deserve.

Not long ago, I could not have imagined that in my maiden speech, I would have the opportunity I have now, namely, the privilege and great honour to second the nomination of Deputy Mary Lou McDonald for Taoiseach. Mary Lou is the leader this country needs. She is a formidable force and the leader who will tackle the Government's waste of public moneys and the many crises we face as a nation, such as housing, health and the cost of living among others, all cemented in legacies created by previous Governments' policies. She is a leader who unites people and she is the leader who will pave a pathway towards a united Ireland. She understands the needs of the people of Ireland in every corner of our island.

As a young woman who prides herself on breaking down barriers for women in worlds traditionally dominated by men, I have been inspired by Mary Lou for similar reasons over many years. Her charisma, empathy and adaptable manner have made her a champion of the people and a true champion of communities the length and breadth of our country and in all walks of life. The low turnout in the election shows there is a widening disconnect between this House and the disenfranchised people of Ireland. That disconnect needs to be tackled now, and anyone anywhere who has ever witnessed Mary Lou McDonald engaging with the public, always with a smile and a listening ear, knows she is the one to end that disconnect and to hear the needs of the people.

A definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, and that is what will happen if we have another Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael Taoiseach. To deliver the platform of change that people are desperately crying out for, we need Deputy Mary Lou McDonald at the helm. We need Taoiseach Mary Lou McDonald. I commend the motion to the House.

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