Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leader for organising a moment of silence for Private Seán Rooney, which is important. I have family in Lebanon and I have been there on many occasions. I value and understand the work that is carried out there, as do many of the people in Lebanon. There are huge Irish connections there because of our relationship with Lebanon's UN peacekeeping force, so this is important.

I have great respect for this House and its staff. I particularly want to thank the Clerk of the Seanad. Bridget and their team for their work. I also thank the Leader and Deputy Leader. They are a seamless pair and they have operated with great unity. It is one of the things that is seen in politics. I want to pay tribute to both of them because there was never a difference in how they operated. They transcended all of that. I genuinely mean that. I said it to someone yesterday when I was talking about both of them. The reversal of their roles will be so easy because they have operated in partnership. I pay tribute to them for that. I want to pay a particular tribute to the Leader. She has gone out on a limb occasionally, but she made it and did an excellent job. I hope she will continue to do an excellent job in her new role. I wanted to acknowledge her contribution because it is important to do so. The Leader was prepared to step out of the political zone and was not afraid to challenge the odd thing, person or system. That is to be acknowledged, and great credit is due to her. She made the job her own and she has done it well.

I attended the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, conferences a few weeks ago, along with some colleagues here. The Ukrainian delegation spoke in the Polish Parliament and read a letter from a little boy called Ivan. Ivan said he wrote to St. Nicholas and his mother asked him what he was going to ask for this year. He said that last year he had asked for a tricycle and a toy train and this year he was going to do something different. She told him to ask for the same again this year and that he might get what he asked for, because he did not get what he asked for last year. He said he would not do that and that he has only three asks. He said he wants his father back and that he would also like light and water. With that, the president of the OSCE asked that all the lights in the chamber be extinguished in order that there would be darkness . He asked people to take out their mobile phones and put on their torchlights. That was an important ritual and it reminded us of darkness turning into light. When we talk about peacekeeping and building bridges, it is important that we remember the significance of Christmas. It is a time for family and home, but many will neither have a home to go to or will have no loved ones. They will also have no chance of meeting many of their loves ones because they are gone - they have been extinguished out of this life. That is important.

I commend all of the agencies in Ireland that have opened up their hearts wide and brought in Ukrainian people. May we continue to do that. There is a thing about talking about hospitality one day and not another. We have a large diaspora and we are a country whose inhabitants have fled, for many reasons, all over the world to look for support. Most of us do so but we need to challenge ourselves. We are politicians and political leaders. We belong to all parties and none and we influence decisions. Let us go out renewed with confidence that we will not apologise and that we will make this country home and welcome for people in real need of food, homes and support and who want to rebuild their lives. More importantly, many of them will want and choose to stay in Ireland and that is a wonderful thing. Well done to all the people involved in that work but let us continue to be brave and courageous enough to take on the critics, stand firm in solidarity and make Ireland the place it is and that we want it to be; welcoming, supporting, encouraging and enriching. If we do so, we will see the qualities and benefits of enriching that diversity, which will make our society a better place.