Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the 19 Members for their contributions to the Order of Business. I offer my congratulations to the four new Deputies elected to serve the people of Cork North-Central, Dublin Mid-West, Dublin Fingal and Wexford and wish them every success.Today is a very special day for them, their families and their political parties. Equally, I congratulate the Fine Gael candidates who finished second for first preference votes in each of the constituencies. In particular, I acknowledge the great campaign run by my colleague and friend, Senator Colm Burke, who increased the Fine Gael vote in Cork North-Central. As Senator Boyhan rightly said, it takes great courage to go before the people of the country in a vote. We congratulate all who stood for election although there can only be one victor. Unlike Senator Leyden, I very much look forward to judgment day as somebody who has gone before the people, been defeated and been successful. My mother always said the ballot box is a great leveller. It ill behoves Senator Leyden to throw personal slurs at Senator Feighan in here. He never ran away from anything and he is not that kind of person. I ask the Senator to withdraw that remark.