Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to vote confidence in the Ceann Comhairle. Verona Murphy is a formidable lady and the first woman ever elected to the office. Despite encountering difficulty in carrying out the duties of the office, she has always been impartial, fair and independent in her actions.

Verona was first elected to represent Wexford in 2020. Since then, she has proven to be a strong voice for her constituents and for the Irish people. Verona was always a hard worker and a trailblazer for women. Having established her own haulage company at the age of 21, she completed her leaving certificate in her mid-30s and then a degree in law. She became the first woman president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, which was an organisation dominated by men. It is no surprise that she broke barriers once again by becoming the first woman to be elected as Ceann Comhairle.

This debate comes at a time when Ireland faces unprecedented challenges. We are wasting Dáil time on unnecessary motions when the Irish people just want us to get on with the urgent business of this House. We are debating a motion that amounts, in essence, to a row about eight minutes of speaking while we anxiously await an announcement tomorrow by President Trump on tariffs that could have massive consequences for the Irish economy. The agrifood sector accounted for €19 billion of exports from Ireland in 2024, with the US one of our largest trading partners. In 2023, Irish agrifood exports to the US were worth €1.6 billion. The main categories were beverages, worth €690 million, and dairy, which was worth more than €800 million. Any tariffs, no matter how small, could have far-reaching consequences for the agrifood sector and will affect every single corner of this country. In my county of Galway, the medical devices sector employs 15,000 people, with many thousands more employed in supporting companies. A total of 20% of all medical and pharmaceutical exports from Ireland are sent to the US.

I have full support for and confidence in Verona Murphy. I look forward to voting confidence in her.

See this speech in context