Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Senator Malachai O'Hara and his family. It is a very special day and I hope they enjoy it.

First, I congratulate our new Taoiseach, Deputy Simon Harris. I worked closely with the Taoiseach in his former Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. He has really shown his commitment to technological universities across the country and actually has made towns across the country university campus towns. It is all part of Our Rural Future and this will continue.

I congratulate our new Minister of State with responsibility for the west, Deputy Alan Dillon, who has been appointed to the Department with responsibility for housing and who is from Castlebar. He really has an understanding of the needs of big towns and rural areas and this will be crucial for us going forward in Government.

I congratulate Cork's Deputy Colm Burke who is Minister of State with responsibility for public health. There are many talented women in Fine Gael. The Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, have joined Cabinet Ministers, Deputies Humphreys and McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton. With our new Cabinet Minister, Deputy Peter Burke at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, it is a very proud day for Mullingar. It is also a very proud day for County Limerick with the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, in the Department of further and higher education. This team will be absolutely incredible in ensuring we are delivering for towns across Ireland. It is really important that we see that this balance of Ministers across the country will highlight the needs of towns. As stated by the Taoiseach, Deputy Harris, jobs and education are two of the key areas we need to focus on across the country.

As a Taoiseach's nominee, I acknowledge the former Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, and his engagement, support, commitment and dedication over the last number of years and how he drove success for us in terms of the highest employment figures ever and when the population of Ireland is at its highest level ever. It is great to know we have this talent and this team within Fine Gael to drive us forward in the time ahead.