Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

In my mad rush to get back into this House, I ignored the protocol of first meeting with the Cathaoirleach. I apologise for that. I could not help but reflect that my dearly departed parents were looking down on all that has happened in the last while. My father would have been very proud and my mother would have believed every word of it. Mothers are proud of their sons and believe they do everything right. God rest my mother who died almost a year ago.

I wish to thank all sides of the House for the overwhelming welcome I have received. Politics is a rough trade. I have been a victim of that, as have many of my colleagues. They have gone through the electoral process successfully or unsuccessfully, so they will know what I am talking about. The last two and a half years have been somewhat grim in that regard. When one reflects some mornings on not really having a reason to get up, one can empathise to a great degree with those who have no jobs. There are a growing number of such people in the economy, so I hope everything that is done both here and in the other House will make some contribution towards improving the lot of those who have suffered from the economic downturn. That is what we are about.

I wish to put on record my appreciation of Senator Joe O'Reilly, as I have not had an opportunity to do so publicly up to now. We both campaigned in the European elections last year and I want to thank him for his personal courtesy and friendship towards me at all times. He is a perfect gentleman. People who say that politics is lacking in humanity could listen to what has been said here today across the House. It is a reflection of the warmth I have received from all sides of the House. Politicians are criticised by a harsh media, yet there is a great basic humanity and decency about them irrespective of the ideological differences we may have. We must have such differences in order for democracy to function effectively.

I also wish to thank the Taoiseach, Deputy Brian Cowen, who proposed my name to the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party before Christmas. Political parties can be somewhat harsh in making pragmatic decisions about whom they should support with an eye to the next election. However, as the Taoiseach said in his own remarks as reported to me, there are exceptions. I am pleased and I thank God that I was the exception in this case. The contribution that I made, modest and all as it was, both as a Member of this House and also in the European elections, was recognised as the Taoiseach said. It showed a side of the Taoiseach that perhaps the media and public do not often see - a basic decency and humanity, for which I am grateful.

I want to thank my colleagues in the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party who came out and voted in such strong numbers, as well as our colleagues in the Green Party who showed solidarity in that they all supported me. I also received support across the political divide. They know who they are and I am grateful to them. It shows that in some cases personal relationships transcend political ideology.