Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Is cúis áthais agus bróid dom mo bhuíochas agus buíochas mo chomhghleacaithe a ghabháil leis an Taoiseach inniu. Táimid fíorbhuíoch de as ucht a bheith linn agus as a ráiteas cuimsitheach dearfach. Chuir sé dúshlán agus fís os ár gcomhair. Bíodh sé cinnte go mbeidh ár dtacaíocht agus ár n-iarrachtaí aige chun na haidhmeanna sin a bhaint amach.

It is my pleasure and privilege to thank the Taoiseach for being with us today, and for the visionary, challenging and comprehensive presentation he laid before us. In his fine introduction, the Cathaoirleach spoke of the Taoiseach’s reforming zeal across many areas of Government and across many Departments. Outstanding among those is the smoking ban, which was pioneering. It has had a profound and positive effect on society. As a resident of a Border county, I particularly wish the Taoiseach success in his recent initiative, the shared island unit. I hope it will build on the recent growth of trade, build interpersonal and communal contact, and create a mutual understanding that will ultimately create a union of hearts and minds in new structures in a new united Ireland.

Today, the Taoiseach has continued an honourable tradition of taoisigh addressing this House. He has committed himself to supporting our wish to lead the scrutiny of EU legislation. We are delighted with that. He is a strong supporter of this House and he reasserted that today. He also placed before us a positive visionary statement. It not only gives us hope, but challenges us to work to support that. Thank you a Chathaoirligh, and I thank the Taoiseach for being with us.