Seanad debates

Thursday, 14 March 2013

11:10 am

Photo of Martin ConwayMartin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday was a day of new beginnings on a myriad of fronts. This country made a very potent entry into the bond markets, in which it was offered ¤12 billion but borrowed ¤5 billion. It is a gigantic step in terms of regaining our economic sovereignty, which unfortunately was lost a number of years ago.

It was also a day in which the Government made a genuine, meaningful, albeit incremental step in the direction of dealing with the crippling mortgage problem facing many young people in this country. This will not be resolved overnight and there will possibly have to be more initiatives, but I believe this is a gigantic step in the right direction. The people who criticise it are the people who engage in negative politics. Yesterday was a day of positive politics.

In addition, we saw what I consider to be an inspirational Pope being chosen by the conclave. It was an inspired choice. His humility, his connection with poor people, the fact that he is from Buenos Aires and that there are 500 million Catholics in that part of the world mean it is another step in healing and positivity.

What we saw yesterday was our entry in the bond markets again, the announcement of steps to alleviate the mortgage crisis and the election of a new Pope. The irony and uniqueness of those three events that affect Ireland so significantly cannot be lost. I hope that as we move forward we will see positive politics, not the typical squabbling that has taken place in this Chamber and in the Lower House for the past number of years. It is time that everybody worked together to ensure our country returns to its rightful place, where the citizens are treated with the respect they deserve from the elected Members.

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