Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Governor Healey; the ambassador, H.E. Claire Cronin; and the mother of the Governor of Massachusetts, Ms Tracy Healey-Beattie, are welcome. I am glad the governor's mum is here. I welcome the distinguished guests and ladies and gentlemen. A Rialtóir Uí hÉalaighthe, thar ceann Chomhaltaí an tSeanaid agus ar mo shon féin mar Chathaoirleach, gabhaim buíochas leat as ucht an onóir a thabhairt dúinn inniu agus as ucht cuairt a thabhairt don Teach seo, an Seanad, inniu.

It is an honour and privilege, as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, to have with us this afternoon the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Maura Healey, to address Seanad Éireann. I am delighted to welcome her to Seanad Éireann, the Upper House of the Oireachtas. Curim céad míle fáilte roimh gach duine. I offer the governor a warm welcome on behalf of all the Members of Seanad Éireann.

I extend a sincere welcome to H.E. Claire Cronin and offer her my sincere thanks for being an instrumental ally in ensuring that today's visit, historic as it is, took place. The ambassador is most welcome. One sign of the influence of the ambassador in Leinster House is that when she meets Tom Corcoran, she says, "Good morning, Tom". That shows she is always welcome here.

Governor Healey has made historic firsts on several occasions in her political and work life. She is a person of firsts. She was the first woman elected governor of Massachusetts, the first member of the LGBT+ community elected governor and the first governor of Massachusetts to address Seanad Éireann. She is not the first person from Massachusetts to address the Seanad but she is the first Governor to do so. The governor's first trip abroad is to Ireland. It is fitting that she comes to the national Parliament in Ireland because, as we know, one in five of those living in Massachusetts claims to be Irish or of Irish descent.

H.E. Cronin will confirm that Governor Healey was the first governor in America to appoint a climate chief at cabinet level, as she did by appointing Ms Melissa Hoffer to that role. That illustrates the importance that the governor and the state of Massachusetts place on the issue of climate change.

John F. Kennedy said in his visit to Limerick, "This is not the land of my birth but it is the land for which I hold the greatest affection." I know Governor Healey's mum has been here on many occasions. The governor's ancestors came from our country and she holds a great affinity for Ireland.

In her own right, the Governor has a formidable career in law and politics. She led the civil rights division of the attorney general's office prior to her election as attorney general. She was re-elected in 2018, having been first elected in 2014. For many of us, it was her assumption of the role of governor last November that gave us some of our greatest joy in her as a person. I am surprised H.E. Cronin did not change this but chapter 2, section 1 of the Massachusetts constitution states that the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall have the title "His Excellency", clearly not thinking of a time when we would have a person of the trailblazing stature of Governor Healey.She is most welcome here today.

As I said, she is the first woman and the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to the office. I do not think it is an overstatement to say that she is a trailblazer - a leader and a fighter - standing up for the fundamental rights of the citizens of her state. Her visit today is both timely and significant. It coincides with two extraordinary events in our history: the 60th anniversary tomorrow of the visit of President Kennedy to Ireland and his address to the Joint Houses of the Oireachtas. As a nation, we were captivated by his eloquence, vision and unwavering commitment to democracy. It is fitting that the governor's visit today coincides with the anniversary of that historic occasion. It reminds us of the enduring bonds that exist between Ireland and the United States, and in particular between Ireland and Boston. We are bound through heritage, culture, and shared values and Governor Healey's presence here today strengthens that relationship.

To my mind, the visit of President Kennedy was significant for a number of reasons, not least, because as Members know, Ireland was not part of the Marshall plan and the reconstruction of Europe and we missed out on a period of growth in Europe. The policy undertaken by the then Taoiseach, Seán Lemass, and prompted by T.K. Whitaker of the programme for economic expansion, transitioned Ireland from being an inward-looking country to being an outward-looking one; a nation that saw through the prism of the world the visit of President Kennedy. His visit was not just a spiritual or emotional one but was instrumental in forging a significant economic, trade and investment relationship between Ireland and the United States and the rest of the world. In many ways, the visit of President Kennedy put Ireland back on the world map.

The second memorable moment in history took place 30 years ago this week in 1993, when legislation decriminalising homosexuality was introduced, debated and passed by Dáil Éireann. The then Minister for Justice was a woman, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn. Within two weeks of that Bill being debated and passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, it was signed into law and put on the Statute Book. Finally, it was no longer a crime to love the person you loved of the same gender in Ireland. The most basic of rights was afforded to LGBTQ+ people here. We have continued to make progress because we know that we have much more work to do.

I am personally delighted that Governor Healey is here today to mark that historic occasion in Ireland's civil rights journey. Her presence reminds us all - and should remind every boy and girl watching at home, in Boston, in Provincetown, or all over the world that no matter who you are, what your background is or your sexual orientation or aspirations, you possess the power to be whoever you want to be. Her election last November demonstrated that. We have seen the Pride flag flying today and last Saturday in Leinster House. It is a symbol of an inclusive, diverse Parliament where we are all equal and we all feel welcome.

It would be remiss of me not to mention Governor Healey's personal connection to Ireland. Her great-grandparents emigrated from Cork, Kerry and Galway. That really means she is one of us. This is her ancestral place and we say to her: "Welcome home.". Like President Biden who visited us recently, Governor Healey has a genuine personal pride in her Irish ancestry. She also shares that same pride. Today, I think of the wider Irish diaspora in Boston and across America, but in particular in the state of Massachusetts, the place they first touched ground when they left Ireland from Cobh and many parts of the country.

I think of my own family members who emigrated. I remember Bill Cullinane, who lived in Boston and worked two jobs to put his kids through school and college. He lived in a place called Wellesley eventually. It is the place where my cousins, the McDevitts, the Cullinanes and the Porters live in the wonderful United States of America. Governor Healey's presence in this Chamber acknowledges that story of emigration as a shared story of two nations. I am very proud on a personal level, as the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, to welcome the Governor of Massachusetts to this House.

I remember fondly my first summer in 1988 working as student on a J1 visa in Boston. I worked in the town of Wellesley in the recycling and disposal facility, otherwise known as "the dump". I recall Michael Dukakis was running for governor; the Boston Pops on 4 July; the winning streak of the Red Sox and the replacing of Joe Morgan - as Members all know, and how they were beaten in the play-offs after having a great run, and the great Wade Boggs and Roger Clemens.