Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a very sad day, as most speakers have mentioned. Private Seán Rooney has lost his life in the line of duty. We salute what he has achieved and we mourn with his family as a nation. We also wish Private Shane Kearney well on his road to recovery. Please God, his recovery will happen and will be swift.

Like others, I commend the Cathaoirleach. As I have told him privately on a number of occasions, he has been innovative and pushed the boundaries. Seanad 100 could not have been any better. I do not think anything could have been done differently or any better in that regard. One could not but have been proud to be here on Monday, seeing all the former Members and members of the diplomatic corps give dignified recognition to the people who served for the last 100 years in a House that has contributed so much to Irish society and created such equalities in the legislation introduced here over many decades. It was a fitting tribute. Well done to the Cathaoirleach and all involved.

I also thank Martin Groves and Bridget Doody for the sterling work they and their team do for us in the Seanad. The members of the parliamentary community across all sections do a wonderful job. They show enormous patience and give us great support and advice. They are, in many ways, a parliamentary family as much as a parliamentary community. With Christmas here, everyone will get a break and we wish them every happiness. For those who lost loved ones over the course of the year, we are thinking of them in their first Christmas without their loved one.

The Leader has done a fantastic job over the last two and a half years in responding and facilitating Senators and getting Ministers into the House to be held accountable. That is what we can do in this House and the Leader facilitates bringing Ministers in, sometimes at short notice, to address issues of national importance. We have had many of them here over the last couple of years. We have been through a pandemic, a health crisis. We have had Ministers for Health here and other Ministers being held accountable to the Seanad. I hope that will continue and I have no doubt it will under the new Leader and Cathaoirleach.

I thank colleagues for their friendship and support. I commend them on the great work they do across the House. We are a diverse Chamber of many abilities. All those abilities combined is what makes Seanad Éireann the great, progressive and positive Chamber it is. When everyone has had a break and we are back here in January, I hope we will continue with, develop, improve and enhance the work we do, which will ultimately help the people of Ireland.