Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I hope not.

It is important today for people like me who served in the last Dáil - I am really privileged to have been elected to the Seanad - to thank the staff of the Seanad, the Clerk, Mr. Martin Groves, and his people for all their guidance over a very difficult time for us.I also thank the ushers, who have been so helpful to us today. We might know every nook and cranny in Leinster House but it is different here and I appreciate it.

I also acknowledge the many references to the Government's leadership on Covid, the drastic situation we were placed in and the shock and fear that still exists. I want to be very fair about this. I commend the Taoiseach and his Ministers, many of whom have been mentioned today. It would be remiss if we did not mention the former Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, and now Leader of the House, for her role, which was crucial. I know she and her staff worked very hard during that period.

I am delighted to see Senator Lisa Chambers, the Leader of the Fianna Fáil group in the House. I wish her well and offer my co-operation to her, to the Cathaoirleach and to all the Members in very important positions. I also acknowledge Senators Diarmuid Wilson and Denis O'Donovan who challenged for the position of Cathaoirleach today. I know they will continue to make very valuable contributions to the House.

I join many people in saying Billy Lawless worked very hard for all of us and the Irish diaspora and I want to put this on the record of the House. I am sure the same applies to our good friend, the former Senator Marshall from Northern Ireland.

Our county of Roscommon has been shocked in recent weeks. As has been mentioned, there was the death of Colm Horkan, which was a terrible tragedy. The county is still in a great state of shock and it is only right that we remember him, his family and his Garda colleagues, who have been so helpful to many of our citizens in recent months.

I acknowledge that among the Taoiseach's 11 nominees is Senator Aisling Dolan who, with me, is the Government representative in Roscommon and Galway. We will work for the benefit of the area. There are some very good people from my party among the 11.

I heard a discussion in recent days about the number of times the word "review" was used in the 125 page document. Today in the Chamber, the word "Kerry" has been used about 150 times. I am sure it is a very special day for all Kerry people.

I acknowledge there is quite a lot of disappointment that we did not get a senior Minister in the west but typical of Deputy Dara Calleary, he was out with his sleeves rolled up yesterday and has been today taking on the role of Chief Whip because he knows, as I and everybody here knows, that we are in a very difficult situation. We have a Government and we have to make it work. I hope when the Ministers of State are appointed that some of them will be from the west, north west and mid-west of the country.

I appeal to everybody in the House, despite our differences on some issues, to realise we are probably still facing a very uncertain future. Our people really wanted the Government to be formed. They want it to work and they want it to last. We in Seanad Éireann as much as those in Dáil Éireann owe it to those people to do it. This does not mean we cannot have great debates or differences of opinion but we must all put our shoulders to the wheel to get us out of this crisis. It is not over yet. It is necessary to open up but I ask people to be careful, please obey and remember they all have responsibility. We all have a responsibility to say this to the public.

It is a great privilege for me to be here. Even though I belong to a political party with the biggest number of Senators in the House, my contributions will always be for the good of the nation and the good of the people. I will share ideas and opinions with people but, more important from my perspective, I will listen to every opinion in the House and certainly what is good and what can be supported I will endeavour to do so.