Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Taoiseach to the House and thank him for the honour he is bestowing on the Seanad in delivering his last Oireachtas address as Taoiseach in this Chamber. It is an important occasion on which we put attack politics to one side. There will be no arguments and nothing grudging. Observers of our political system are more used to adversarial politics, the politics of debate and discourse which involve an Opposition holding the Government to account. Today, however, is not a day for that. While my party disagrees with the Taoiseach on many issues, including the health service, education, tackling crime and managing public services, it is apt that his statement centres on two issues, both of great importance to this nation, on which we have worked and continue to work with him. These are the Good Friday Agreement and the peace it has brought to this island, North and South, and the Lisbon treaty.

The leader of the Fine Gael Party spoke yesterday about the traits that have allowed the Taoiseach to make his mark as a unique contributor to Irish political life. Deputy Kenny referred in particular to the Taoiseach's diligence. This means more than getting up early in the morning and working until late at night. It means the grace under the pressure the Taoiseach displayed the week of his mother's death. No one would have reproached him had he removed himself from the peace process negotiations that Holy Week. Everyone would have accepted and understood that someone who had always been so close to his mother, who had never paraded but never concealed his great love and admiration for her, might need privacy and peace in which to grieve. However, the Taoiseach had a broader commitment to the many families deeply grieved over many years by the carnage in Northern Ireland. His commitment was to the ending of a cruel conflict if it could be ended. He went to the North that Holy Week and worked day and night in the interests of peace. It was a much sought after peace, a peace worked for by his predecessors of all political hues. The Taoiseach's actions were those of a politician with a sense of duty to the future.

That sense of duty to the future has also been shown in the Taoiseach's commitment to the idea of a union of European nations. He steered a successful European presidency in 2004, which demonstrated his deal-making capacities and illustrated the role Ireland can play at the heart of Europe. As we face into a referendum on the future of Europe, we have worked with the Taoiseach towards the passage of the Lisbon treaty which will ensure Ireland's continued position at the core of the European Union. Our country has gained enormously from its membership of the EU. The State has a competence and confidence it would never have had without that membership. The Taoiseach will agree the European Union has the same roots as the Good Friday Agreement. It is rooted in the belief that war is preventable, life is precious and concentrated, diligent work towards co-operation within a wider Europe will make the EU a profoundly effective means of ensuring peace in our time and for our children.

The Taoiseach's work for peace is arguably the single most important task he has undertaken in all his years in politics and should be a source of continuing pride to him in his retirement. His legendary work rate and ability to work effectively with others is known to all. Today is a day when we thank the Taoiseach for his service, efforts and commitment. We also thank his family and friends because we know that politics takes its toll on personal time with loved ones. We thank the Taoiseach for his public service to this country.