Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach and thank all Members who contributed on the Order of Business. I commend Senator O'Hara on his fine maiden speech in the Chamber and thank Members for the gracious, warm congratulations they extended to him. It looks well for the House and it is the manner in which we conduct ourselves in here. It is quite a collegial Chamber. We have our differences at times, but we work well together.

I concur with the remarks of many Senators wishing former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar well and thanking him for his long service of seven years in the top job. It is a long time to be in that position given the intensity and demands of the role. I thank him for his service to the State. I wish the new Taoiseach Simon Harris the very best of luck in his work as he takes on what is probably the most pressurised and important job in the country as well. I wish all the Ministers, those who have been reappointed and those who are newly appointed, well in their roles for whatever period of time we have left. We have been told 11 months, but who knows. In any event, I have no doubt they will all hit the ground running and do their very best to deliver for the people of this great country.

I also pay tribute to former Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile. We have not had an opportunity to do that and today seems like the appropriate time to do that. He was a fantastic colleague. We did not agree on everything, but he was a very measured, considered contributor in this House. He led the Sinn Féin grouping until very recently. He was a great voice for Northern Ireland, for all communities in the North and was always keeping issues relevant to the island and to Northern Ireland on the agenda.I have no doubt that the Senator will continue in that vein and that others will do the same.