Róisín Garvey (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Ar an gcéad dul síos, déanaim comhghairdeas leis an gCathaoirleach. Go n-éirí leis agus ní bheidh mé ró-chrua air de bharr a chairdeas agus is comharsa béal dorais dom é i gContae an Chláir. Is as Eidhneach mé, baile beag bídeach i gContae an Chláir idir An Bhoirinn agus Aillte an Mhothair. Is onóir dom í a bheith anseo, go háirithe nuair a feicim na mná iontacha timpeall orm a bhí mar spreagadh dom go minic roimhe seo. Táim ag súil go mór le bheith ag obair ar son muintir an oileáin álainn seo, go háirithe dóibh siúd atá cónaí orthu amuigh faoin tuath.

I rith mo shaol bhí roinnt deiseanna agam agus bhí deis agam obair le páistí, le déagóirí, daoine faoi mhíchumas, teifigh agus an Lucht Taistil. Spreag siadsan mise chun seasamh suas agus chun mo ghuth a úsáid agus is é sin an fáth go bhfuil mé anseo inniu. Tá dúshláin mhóra romhainn - agus is breá liom dúshláin - ó thaobh sláinte, eacnamaíochta agus athrú aeráide de. Táim cinnte, áfach, má oibreoimid le chéile go macánta, gur féidir linn tír shláintiúil, chothrom, ghlas agus dhóchasach a chruthú le chéile. Ba mhaith liom buíochas ó chroí a ghabháil le mo mhac Corrán, le mo mhuintir, le mo chairde, le mo chomharsana béal dorais agus le gach éinne a thug tacaíocht dom suas go dtí an pointe seo.

I am from a small village in County Clare, Inagh, between the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. It is a huge honour to be here today and most humbling to see these amazing people around me, especially these women sitting close to me. Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na mná sin.

I am really looking forward to working really hard for the people of this absolutely beautiful island of ours and especially for the rural communities of Ireland. In my life, I had great opportunities and was very fortunate to work with many children, through Green Schools, teenagers, people with disabilities, refugees, asylum seekers and the Traveller community. They are the ones who have inspired me to always stand up to use my voice. It is for them I am here today.

We are facing massive challenges with health, economics and, of course, climate change. As a Green Party Member, I will do my best to work with everybody in the Seanad. If the 60 of us, along with our colleagues in the other House, work together for the betterment of this country and we do so honestly, then we can together create a beautiful, healthy, fair, green and hopeful country.

I thank from the bottom of my heart my son Corrán, my neighbours, my family and all the people who have helped and supported me in my life to get me this far. To quote a great Clare philosopher, John O'Donohue, "May I live this day compassionate of heart, gentle in word, gracious in awareness, courageous in thought, generous in love."

Go raibh míle maith agaibh agus go n-éirí leat, Mark.