Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on acquiring the role. I look forward to working with him. The title of father of the House is one that will suit Senator Wilson very well. I look forward to working with each and every one of the Senators. Some of them I know already and others I look forward to getting to know.

My career path to the Seanad has taken place over the past 11 years. I worked in local authorities, I was a member of the opposition for five years, and I have been in government and served as a Minister of State. I am honoured to have now been appointed by the Taoiseach to the role of Senator. Some may not realise that my career was fulfilled in banking long before this. I served 25 years working in banking. I chose to leave that to go to work in public service. The reason I chose public service was that I believed it showed us all that I could be that politician. I could be that female who could be a single parent who could take on a role and bring about the change that would impact me on a daily basis.I was in Opposition for four and a half years, where I sponsored 13 Bills. Over the past five years, I have seen some of them be enacted. That is why female local authority members can now, for the first time, take maternity leave whereas in the past they had to produce sick leave certificates. We know all about it here in the Oireachtas, where Members could not avail of maternity leave. They would have to avail of a pairing system. It was in the Seanad that the legislation had its final approval and passage and received the scrutiny it well needed. Jim O'Callaghan, Jack Chambers and I wrote the Gambling Control Bill in 2016. We saw that pass last year. I have seen what happened in childcare following my work in the Lower House in 2018. It was always down to collaboration, engagement and consultation. When you have those pieces, including the most important piece of all, which is respect, you can achieve anything. Any mountain can be climbed, but having collaboration, consultation, engagement and the respect of all is the only way we can bring about change. That is the one thing about this House. We leave politics outside the door and work together for the betterment of delivery and scrutiny.

An important statistic that I, as a former Minister of State for disabilities, want all Senators to take on board is that the Disability Act was passed in 2005. Since then, not one Minister of State who has held that role has been re-elected. One would have to ask why. During my next term, I look forward to working with all Senators regarding people with disabilities and persons with additional needs to ensure that we embrace the pathway of supporting our local authorities. As Senator Bradley said, they need the tools and the design manual for urban roads and streets, DMURS, to understand how to use their funding to ensure compatibility in our structures and environment. Sometimes, disability is not just the disability you have, but the built environment that disables you more.

That is my final contribution. I look forward to working with the Cathaoirleach and with Senators in the years ahead.