Michael McCarthy (Labour)

A Chathaoirligh, I join in the warm tributes being paid to you today and congratulate you on becoming Cathaoirleach. Your unopposed election is a testament to your popularity and the esteem in which you are held by all Members. The fact that you have been elected by consensus is also a testament to your ability and the esteem in which you are held. In the past five years I got to know you well as you were Government Chief Whip. I found you courteous, able, articulate, very friendly and particularly helpful to newer Members, which I really appreciated.

I echo the point made by Senator Cassidy. There is a strong case to be made about media coverage of the Seanad. I headed back to my constituency when I was re-elected to the Seanad in July, but it was difficult to find out how other candidates were getting on. I want to pay tribute to the people who kept feeding information to the Oireachtas website because it would have been very difficult to obtain that knowledge otherwise.

As a west Cork man from Dunmanway, I am very happy that west Cork is so well represented in this House. Senator O'Donovan is from Bantry, Senator Callanan is from Inishannon, Senator Harris is from Baltimore, and he has been warned not to go back there without a new pier, Senator Buttimer has Kilmichael connections, Senator Twomey is my neighbour from Bealad, while Senator Bacik is from Crookstown.