Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

I also congratulate Senator Darragh O'Brien on becoming a Member of the House. We all know he became a member of Fingal County Council in 2004 and a Member of Dáil Éireann in 2007. He was the Vice Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts, which is the most important committee in the House and was a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Justice, Defence and Women's Rights. He also has a distinguished career in financial services. Along with his wife, daughter and family, I congratulate him. I wish him well and look forward to working with him.

Senators Cummins, O'Toole, Prendergast, Coghlan, Boyle, Harris, Ellis, Bradford, Callely, Quinn, O'Malley, Burke, Walsh, Mullen, Ormonde, Feeney, Mooney, Daly and White expressed their serious concerns and strong views regarding many matters on the Order of Business. First, I congratulate Fine Gael and the Labour Party on their outstanding win in the general election. I commiserate with some very decent former Deputies on the Fianna Fáil and Green Party side who worked very hard in the national interest. There was a mood for change and the electorate certainly had its say.

I acknowledge the very difficult task the Taoiseach, the former Deputy, Brian Cowen, had during his period as Taoiseach. I wish him and the Tánaiste well, as I do to everyone who played a part in the national interest in doing his or her very best under what has been the worst recession since 1929. I look forward to working with colleagues on the future Government side. I congratulate my constituency colleague, Deputy McFadden. What a different place this Chamber will be without the former Senator, Deputy Buttimer.