Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Mar Chathaoirleach Seanad Éireann, is cúis mhór áthais é dom bheith ábalta fáilte a chur roimh iarBhall Seanad Éireann agus iarUachtarán na tíre, Máire Mhic Róibín, chuig an Seanad inniu.

This afternoon, we are joined by students from the Gaelscoil in Athlone. I welcome the students from rang a sé, who are here this afternoon, and thank, in particular, Rose Playman, who has completed a project on the former President, Mrs. Robinson.I congratulate Rose. It is a great joy for her to be able to meet former President, Mrs. Mary Robinson, this afternoon. I thank Senator Garvey for her proposal to allow us, as Seanad Éireann, to invite and listen to our iar-Uachtarán address us. As agreed on 21 May, it is my pleasure, as Cathaoirleach, to welcome Mrs. Robinson back to Seanad Éireann, which is, perhaps on one level, her spiritual home.

As Members will know, Mrs. Robinson is no stranger to any of us in Seanad Éireann and the Oireachtas. She was a Member of this House from 1969 to 1989. During her time, she has been a courageous champion and advocate for social change in our country. At a time when many others refused or were afraid, Mrs. Robinson was that champion. Family planning, divorce and the decriminalisation of homosexuality were all issues she championed. As Members will know, there was no social media at that time in Ireland but that did not mean Mrs. Robinson was immune from criticism from many quarters for her being a champion of social change. Thankfully, she persisted in her campaigns, her articulation and in her views to bring change to Ireland. As politicians, we know, when you take a stance and stand for something, it comes, some time, at a price.

First, I wish to thank Mrs. Mary Robinson for her work as a Senator. Second, I thank her for her work as Uachtarán of Ireland. She was our first female President, but she was also outstanding in that office. She took her presidential oath to heart to dedicate her abilities to the service and welfare of the people of Ireland. She did not just travel to the four corners of Ireland but across the world as a proud Irish person, taking the message of Ireland and its people to parts of the world where we made a huge impact. Her Presidency and her life as a public servant have been creative and imaginative. As students of politics, we must admit that in her role as Uachtarán na hÉireann, she transformed the role of the Presidency and revitalised it in a lasting way. In her role as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, she gained international recognition and was known as an outspoken voice dedicated to the investigation and the exposing of human rights abuses around the world and for standing up for the human rights of people. In 2007, she was a co-founder, along with Mr. Nelson Mandela, of The Elders, which is an independent group of global leaders working for peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet. Travelling in the American continent in particular, she became aware of the way in which climate change was undermining the livelihoods of indigenous farmers and other poor communities. Rightly, Mrs. Robinson identified the climate crisis as the issue of our time because, as she said, every issue we care about is a climate and nature issue.

It is on this issue today, at the proposal and behest of Senator Garvey, we are inviting Mrs. Robinson to address Seanad Éireann. I thank Senator Garvey for her role in the Inter-Parliamentary Union for her great work in promoting the issue of climate change and for us, as parliamentarians, taking a lead on that. Gabhaim comhghairdeas leis an Seanadóir Garvey as an méid sin. It is my pleasure and privilege, as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, to invite our iar-Uachtarán, Mrs. Mary Robinson, to address Seanad Éireann.