Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is a promise you can take to the bank. Another uachtarán is working with the GAA and that is former Uachtarán na hÉireann, Mary McAleese, who has often said that those who drink the water should never forget those who dug the well. Today, uachtarán McCarthy remembered those who dug the well 140 years ago and I refer to the first president of the GAA, Maurice Davin. I also refer to former president, Dr. Mick Loftus, who sadly passed away during the week. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time. Dr. Loftus had leadership qualities and things to say, which he said as he should because that is what leadership is about. Finally, we remember those who built the GAA over 14 decades and, hopefully, there are 14 decades more to come.

The leadership that Mr. McCarthy has shown concerning the one-club approach is welcome because all members of our sporting organisation should be treated equally. It is not appropriate that in these decades of centenaries we are still talking about equality eluding us. I have no doubt that Mr. McCarthy's mother would be greatly proud, as a camogie treasure for the Cork county board and the Munster Council, of the leadership he has shown in introducing the one-club approach and I hope that will see fruition in the years ahead. A one-club model will not only transform the GAA but will transform communities and lead the way in treating everybody equally within the organisation. We are proud that Mr. McCarthy is the first member of the diaspora to lead the GAA, out of our 70 million diaspora around the world. He is the first but by no means will he be the last.

Uachtarán, all politics is local and we are proud of him in Kenmare because the McCarthys are from Kenmare. In fact, his father was born on Main Street, Kenmare, and his grandfather was a teacher in the local school. We look forward to Larry coming back to Kenmare. We know that he spent his summer holidays there. Pete Hanley rang me and asked me to tell Larry that he looks forward to an uachtarán buying him a drink in the Roughty Bar. Most of all, we are proud that an uachtarán of the GAA came here today to set us a challenge that we aim to meet. I thank him for his address to us today.