Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his election today. Much has been spoken about Kerry today. As a Cork woman by birth, but now living in that great melting pot of Dublin Central, I wish him the very best in his work as Cathaoirleach.

I am very honoured and privileged to have been elected a Member of the Twenty-sixth Seanad as a Senator for the Labour Party on the labour panel. I am particularly delighted to be joined by my four colleagues. We have a Labour Party group in the Seanad which includes Senators Bacik, Hoey, Moynihan and Wall. I am determined to work with others across the Chamber to progress our agenda in terms of workers' rights, fairness and equality in society and in the economy and to urge others across the Chamber to work with us in progressing that agenda.

My colleague, Senator Wall, spoke about the importance of our families and supporters getting each of us to where we are today. I pay particular tribute to my own family. My father, Michael, is sitting in the gallery today. I pay tribute to all our supporters. It is really important to say that while there is still an overwhelming gender gap in this Seanad, I am heartened to look around, and Senator Garvey made this point earlier, and see so many young, dynamic and inspiring women in this Seanad, particularly those with young families, and to see young male Senators as well, trying to get that balance between rearing families and making a contribution to public life in this country. It is important to acknowledge that, to work together and to help each other to make that contribution.

I was elected on the labour panel along with ten other Senators. It is really striking that over the many years of the Seanad so much progress could have been made in the area of workers' rights and yet it seems that not enough progress was made. I urge the other Senators on the labour panel, who expressed an interest in the rights of workers to be on that panel, to come together and work on the many issues that now need to be addressed. We saw the High Court decision last week. There is an issue for so many workers who previously enjoyed a sectoral employment order in their sectors, including in construction, in electrical contracting and in mechanical roles. We now need to address that situation. There are issues with regard to bogus self-employment, the gender pay gap and many other workers' rights issues that this Chamber can make a real contribution to.

This House, the State, the Government and the Opposition face a huge challenge trying to get our country back on its feet after such a crippling number of months. We know we face a period of mass unemployment in which there will be job cuts. Over the next number of weeks and months, many households will wonder how they are going to pay childcare, mortgages and rent. We still have a huge housing crisis. The State needs to step up and help families and individuals to weather the crisis it will go through over the next few weeks, months and years.

The Labour Party will bring forward Bills and many proposals to help those who need help most. I urge others to work with us in that mission. I wish the best of luck to the Cathaoirleach and I look forward to working with him.