Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the 16 Members of the House for their contributions to the Order of Business. I dtús báire, ar mo shon féin, cuirim fíorfháilte ar ais roimh gach duine, go mórmhór roimh fhoireann Teach Laighean agus roimh an gCathaoirleach. I welcome everybody back to the very busy autumn term and hope we have a very successful and co-operative session. We have much very important work to undertake. I join with the Cathaoirleach in welcoming everybody back, in particular members of the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas. I hope they have all had a very pleasant summer. I welcome Councillor David Maxwell and his family and representatives from Monaghan to the House. I welcome colleagues from Limerick who are guests of Senator Maria Byrne.

I begin by offering, on my behalf and on behalf of the Fine Gael group and the House, our sympathies to the family of the lady who was tragically killed this morning in the west of our country during the storm which took hold of part of our nation. It is a very tragic loss of life and we send our deepest sympathies to her family. We thank all those who today worked tirelessly to ensure our roads were safe and that our public services were working. I thank all first responders, staff of local authorities, the Defence Forces and other people who have been involved in the operation today across our country. It is important that people take care. Met Éireann does not give out weather warnings lightly. I hope people will take notice of them.

Senators Ardagh, Feighan and Murnane O'Connor raised the issue of our Defence Forces. We are all rightly proud of our Defence Forces. The Government respects and values each and every member of our Defence Forces. Today, the members of the Defence Forces and their families held a parade outside Leinster House. Unfortunately I could not get to it because I had a meeting of the group leaders. It is important that the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, was in the House today. Senator McFadden had a Commencement matter on the issue. The Government has established a public sector pay commission to look at the pay and conditions of public servants, including members of the Defence Forces. It will look at retention, recruitment and pay.

It is important to put the issue in context. Senator Murnane O'Connor will say "Here he goes again" but we should look at where we have come from and where we are today. I will begin this term as I have always done in a spirit of co-operation and bipartisanship and reaching across the aisle but I will not take a lecture from members of the Fianna Fáil Party on fiscal management and public sector pay and conditions when they were part of a Government that decimated and destroyed the lives of people.