Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

Tá mé thar a bheith sásta a bheith anseo inniu mar Sheanadóir nua. Is onóir mhór í seo dom féin agus do mo chlann. Tá súil agam go mbainfidh mé úsáid mhaith as mo chuid ama sa Teach seo. I am proud to be here today. It is a great honour for me and my family that I have been elected to Seanad Éireann. I am the second generation of my family to be involved in national politics. My father, John Browne, was a Member of Seanad Éireann from 1983-87 and of Dáil Éireann from 1989-2002.

I compliment you, a Chathaoirligh, on your appointment and look forward to working with you in the House over the next few years. The membership of the current Seanad is an interesting mixture of young and old, and of those experienced and inexperienced in politics. The four or five years ahead of us promise to be interesting, lively and educational.

The Government ensured its re-election through deceit and half-truths. In the space of a few short weeks we have seen, in effect, the re-introduction of third level fees through the back door, cutbacks in health services and the Stadium Ireland dream turning into a nightmare for the Taoiseach to the point where it looks like we will not have a new national stadium as promised before the election. Insurance costs are crippling drivers of all ages, home owners and businesses, and the proposed hike in ESB charges are resulting in our economy becoming less competitive. Unfortunately job losses are beginning to mount, which is a reflection on the Government's incompetence and general neglect of the major issues.

However, it is vitally important to distinguish that the vote on the Nice treaty is one for the future of this country, not one which would be used to protest at this Government. Therefore, like previous speakers, I would plead with the electorate to look on the forthcoming referendum in the context of what is good for the future of this country and to vent their anger on this Government in the local and European elections in 2004.

Having been born in 1973, a significant year in the sense that Ireland joined the EEC that year, I feel it is vitally important that the referendum is carried overwhelmingly in October. I belong to a generation of people who know no life outside the EU.