Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the new Minister of State, Deputy Mary White, and wish her well. I congratulate her on her appointment, which is a dream come true. I know she will excel in her portfolio. She is most welcome to the House.

I must reply to the remarks made by the last speaker. I treat every Member, male or female, equally in this House. I am proud to say I have always done so. I am the first Leader of either House to have allowed the issue of women in politics to be debated on the floor of the House.

I have worked well for many years with one of the great women of our time, Deputy Mary O'Rourke, in my local area. I also worked well with Máire Geoghegan Quinn who was the first woman to be appointed to the Cabinet since Countess Markiewicz. I also worked with former President Mary Robinson who started her political career in this House. The first lady Tánaiste the country had, Deputy Mary Harney, also started her political career in this House and I have had a close working relationship with her throughout my political life. I have known many excellent women who have made an enormous contribution to public life during the years.

I worked with former Deputy Síle de Valera, an outstanding public representative, as well as the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Deputy Mary Hanafin, and the first female Fianna Fáil Tánaiste since 1926, Deputy Mary Coughlan. In my local area I have worked with the former Minister of State Deputy Mary Wallace, as well as Deputy Áine Brady and my colleague in the constituency of Longford-Westmeath, Mae Sexton, who represented the area as a Dáil Deputy when I was a Deputy between 2002 and 2007.