Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom fáilte mor a chur roimh an Taoiseach go dtí an Seanad inniu. Is onóir mhór é don Seanad an Taoiseach a bheith inár measc agus an seans a bheith again óráid a dhéanamh ar chúrsaí polaitíochta agus faoin Rialtas go dtí seo. Is traidisiún iontach maith é don Taoiseach an lae teacht isteach go dtí an Seanad agus gabhaim buíochas leis as ucht leanúint leis an traidisiún sin inniu.

I welcome the Taoiseach to the Seanad.In responding I intend to be constructive, by which I mean both positive and critical. We all know that recent times have been exceptionally busy with all of us trying to address the challenges of Brexit. The Taoiseach and his Government have enjoyed huge cross-party support on this vital national matter. I also believe it is important to acknowledge the role played in this by my own party by taking the correct decision last December to extend the confidence and supply arrangement in the interests of the nation. I know the Taoiseach will agree with me on that.

Brexit is one of the greatest challenges we face as a nation. I congratulate the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste on the role they have played. I also compliment the excellent civil servants in both the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. There has effectively been an ongoing crisis since June 2016 as we face the consequences of dealing with a decision we deplore. In the words of a former Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader, John Bruton, it is actually an unfriendly act towards this country by our nearest neighbour. However, for those of us who are committed to the European ideal, one consolation from the Brexit ordeal is that membership matters. The EU has been there for us and it so clearly shows the advantage of working in a large multilateral organisation to achieve common goals. We still face uncertainty. Indeed after the events of recent week, it is even harder to say how things might develop going forward. On behalf of my own party I affirm that we will be as one in standing up for Ireland's vital national interests.

I mentioned the ongoing crisis of Brexit. Sadly, it is not the only ongoing crisis that we face. The lack of an assembly in the North for more than two years is shameless. When citizens needed the assembly most they were let down. Civil servants are running Northern Ireland and all we hear is shouting and pontification from the main parties. This has to stop before direct rule becomes a reality. We all agree that the Good Friday Agreement should be protected, but as we speak, strands one and two are broken. The Taoiseach will agree that we cannot become complacent about this. More must be done by both the British and Irish Governments to get the assembly back up and running. To adapt Winston Churchill's phrase on Northern Ireland, when Brexit is resolved, we will still face the dreary steeples of housing and health.

The Government is presiding over a crisis marked by homelessness reaching unprecedented levels, surging rents at historic heights, home building numbers tens of thousands below where they need to be, and more than 130,000 people in need of permanent social housing. All the while another massive problem that the Government is completely ignoring is emerging. Ordinary workers with modest incomes cannot afford a place of their own. My party has secured significant progress on an affordable housing scheme in budget 2019, but delivery is key. It is exasperating that things are moving so slowly after six distinct housing plans. To use the Taoiseach's own phrase, this is not about money. However, no affordable houses are available.

Another crisis is ongoing in our health services. When the Taoiseach was Minister for Health he may have underspun the fact that the national children's hospital will be the biggest capital project in the history of Irish healthcare.