Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. As it is my first speech in the Dáil, it is customary to thank the voters of Cork South-Central for putting me here and giving me the great honour of representing them in Dáil Éireann. I thank my family for their unstinting support and all of those who supported me throughout the campaign. It is a great honour to be here and I will do my level best to repay the trust they have placed in me.

I only have a few minutes to discuss the programme for Government, which is a document of over 160 pages, so I will touch on some of the key points. I welcome that we have a Government formed, that we have a programme for Government and that we are now up and running as a Government. I believe it is a Government that majority of people voted for - a Government of the centre, one that can promote the values of the vast majority of the Irish people. It is a Government that will continue to promote a sustainable economic model, a pro-enterprise model and a clear message internationally that, as a country, we are open for business, basing our model on strong and prudent management of the public finances, creating high levels of employment and opportunity for our citizens. It is a Government that is pro Europe, playing a central role in European affairs and promoting key European values. Of course, it is a Government that will continue to promote the shared island initiative, which is so critical and based on mutual respect, co-operation and the key principle of consent.

Environmentally, we know the challenges we are facing as a country. They are not challenges of the future; they are challenges that are here and now in the present day. Environmental challenges have to be at the heart of this Government, and the programme for Government provides a strong basis for that. Above all, while we have been successful economically, we need to create a more caring society, a society that supports those who need our support most. That is a challenge that this Government has got to face up to.

On some specific issues, there has been much debate on the housing challenge, which we are all acutely aware of as public representatives. We are in the most acute housing crisis in living memory. It will be a defining issue for this Government and our biggest challenge. We have recently seen the outturn for 2024. It is deeply disappointing, which has to be readily acknowledged. Various estimates as regards what type of housing output we need are put forward but it is clear we need to at least double the output that was produced in 2024. That is going to be a monumental challenge. We need to have an honest debate in this House and across the political spectrum on how we do that. There are no easy options but it is something we have to get right.

A particular cohort of people I want to be a strong voice for are those who are currently receiving very little support, those who have an income level that puts them outside the social housing support bracket but who do not have a sufficient income to be able to gain a mortgage to buy a property or secure adequate rental accommodation. They are simply falling between stools. The affordable housing purchase and cost-rental models are there to support them but we simply do not have enough such housing and we are not providing the levels of support to those people who are working hard, earning modest incomes and doing their best but who are not able to gain secure accommodation for themselves. As a Government, we have to stand up and provide support to them, and as a new TD, I certainly want to be a strong voice for them.

The issue of disability is one that has been debated widely in the House. To be fair, successive Governments have failed on this issue. As a candidate in the recent general election, I listened to many harrowing stories from constituents regarding the complete lack of services they and their families had been provided. It is a fight for everything: to gain assessments; to gain follow-up services and therapies; and for school places. When people secure these, there is a fight for transportation and so on. It is not acceptable that people have to fight for everything, and it was very difficult to listen to many of those stories. I am pleased that this Government has put a Minister of State in Cabinet with responsibility for disabilities. It has to be centre stage in this Government for the coming five years that we have a radical shift and step change in our approach to providing disability services, providing a more caring society that delivers the supports that people need.

Another key issue that came up at the doors is the fundamental right that people have to feel safe in their homes, businesses and communities in towns and villages across the country. We need a strong, visible Garda presence out there. We currently do not have that. It is an enormous challenge for Government, and I know the programme for Government has set out ambitious targets in terms of Garda recruitment, but we have to ask the hard questions about why we are finding it so difficult to meet those targets for recruitment and, more importantly, retention of newly qualified gardaí. It is all very fine to train gardaí but if they do not stay in the workforce and continue to provide a service, then we need to ask the hard questions. I agree with Deputy Kelly on the point he made earlier, namely, that we have to look at the terms and conditions to make sure we recruit sufficient numbers.

If I can, I will touch on a few issues in Cork. We need some key investment in infrastructural projects. There are key capital projects that need to progress in the areas of transportation, housing, health and education. The event centre in Cork is obviously something that needs to progress, and I will try to be a strong voice on that as well as many other issues.

This Government has the potential to deliver. Targets in a programme for Government are all very fine, but it is about delivery. As a new TD, I will be an active and constructive voice to try and promote the priorities the people have asked us to deliver on.

See this speech in context