Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his appointment and clarify that we are political cousins, not biological ones. I came into the Twenty-fifth Seanad as a first-time Senator. The ball was at my feet in that I anticipated I was going to change the world. I was not long finding out that, irrespective of what I tried to do, what I tried to say or where I tried to go, it was almost as if I did not exist. The title, Senator Daly, had already been taken and it was as if he had exclusive rights to it. As they say, to every cloud there is a silver lining and I soon began to notice that some of his many great achievements and statements were being commented on in the media and being accredited to Senator Daly of Fianna Fáil. People gave me a bit of praise and for a while I wondered what was going on and then the penny dropped. Those who know me would know that I would be too shy to point out the mistake people were making.