John Crown (Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is an honour for Seanad Éireann that the Minister of State made his maiden ministerial speech here. I cannot but note the near Shakespearean symmetry of him offering his ministerial maidenhood to the Seanad, the very organ of State which he and his party sought to amputate in last autumn's referendum. We wish Deputy Harris well in what will hopefully be a long ministerial career.

I accept that I am somewhat slow. In that context, I am staggered by the speed with which the Minister of State has grasped the intricacies of his new job and by the fact that in just one afternoon he put together a new policy document and had it typed up. I am tremendously impressed by the way democracy works.