Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Go raibh maith agat and ar dtús báire ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuilim ar ais arís mar Aire sinsir. Sé seo mo chéad ócáid mar Aire sinsir a bheith anseo. Bhí mé anseo cheana agus bhí go leor díospóireachta againne agus go díreach tugann sé deis dom cur in iúil don Seanad cad atá déanta againne le cúpla bhliain, cad tá déanta ag an Rialtas agus go mór mhór ócáid díospóireachta bheith againn chun rudaí tábhachta a shíleann na Seanadóirí atá a phlé againne, go cuireann sé ar feadh cúig bhliain.

As I said I am delighted to be here in the Seanad. We had great discussions and deliberations previously and I look forward to those challenges in the future. I have been encouraged to go and fight and I will certainly do that. I will kick the ball by saying it is quite disingenuous of Fine Gael and the Opposition to put down an amendment to my colleagues' motion. I am proud of what has been achieved over the last five years, as can my colleagues on this side of the House. It reflects on the inadequacies of the Opposition if this is their only way to get at the Government when we have achieved so much. Perhaps the Opposition should go back to the days when they were in Government and they will see the paltry increases given and the decisions made then.