Clerk of the Seanad:

In accordance with Standing Order 10 of the Standing Orders of Seanad Éireann relative to public business, I must report to the Seanad that I have been informed by letter on 15 December 2022 from Senator Mark Daly of his resignation as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann. The letter reads as follows:

Dear Martin,

I would like to tender my resignation as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, effective immediately.

Is mise le meas

Senator Mark Daly

A vacancy has accordingly occurred in that office.

I must also report to the Seanad that I have been informed by letter dated 15 December 2022 from Senator Joe O'Reilly of his resignation as Leas-Chathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann. The letter reads as follows:

Mr. Martin Groves

Clerk of Seanad Éireann

Leinster House

Dublin 2.

Dear Martin

I hereby resign my position as Leas-Chathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann with immediate effect.

Yours sincerely

Senator Joe O'Reilly

A vacancy has accordingly occurred in that office.

The Chair is now being taken by Senator David Norris, who has the longest continuous period of service as a Member of the Seanad. Senator Norris was elected on 14 April 1987 and has served continuously since then.

David Norris (Independent)
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It is my privilege today to preside over the orderly transfer of power. We have always been fortunate in the calibre of Cathaoirligh of Seanad Éireann. Over my 30 or more years in the Seanad, I can bear witness to this fact. Senator Mark Daly has been exemplary - gentlemanly, courteous and impartial in his rulings. I shall have the opportunity to speak briefly about the other candidates put forward for this office later on. I now have the pleasure of asking the Leader to propose the fixing of a date for the election of Cathaoirleach.

Regina Doherty (Fine Gael)
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Notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, I propose that the election of a Cathaoirleach be taken forthwith.

David Norris (Independent)
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Is that agreed? Agreed. I will now accept a proposer and seconder for any motion in respect of the election of the Cathaoirleach.

Regina Doherty (Fine Gael)
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I have the great honour this morning of proposing our very good friend and colleague Senator Jerry Buttimer for the position of Cathaoirleach.

David Norris (Independent)
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Is there a seconder?

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I second the proposal. It is great to see Senator Norris back in the Chamber and sitting in the Chair, albeit for a few moments, although I understand he will give us an address so he could possess the Chair for rather a few moments.

It is my honour to second the nomination of Senator Jerry Buttimer. I have known Senator Buttimer since September 1984, which was just a few years before Senator Norris became a Member of this House. I am delighted to have the opportunity to second him and, with the permission of the Acting Chairperson, say a few words in doing so.

I welcome his family to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery, particularly his husband Conchobar, whom I got to know over recent years. I understand we are joined by video by Father Seán O'Leary from Taiwan, who is Senator Buttimer's brother-in-law and Conchobar's brother.I would like to acknowledge that he is listening in to proceedings here this morning.

Senator Buttimer is more than well qualified to serve as Cathaoirleach of this House. He was an excellent Leader of the Seanad and in that role he always served and represented this House with commitment, dedication and passion. He demonstrated his ability to work with Senators across the House with respect and understanding. No one can accuse him of not getting quickly to the point when he wanted to and I know that is something he will bring to the Chair of this House as well. That fact that he was an excellent Leader is in itself reason enough to support this nomination here today but it is only one of several important reasons I am honoured to second Senator Buttimer and ask my colleagues to support him.

In electing Senator Buttimer to the position of Cathaoirleach, we are, as his colleagues and as Senators, sending a clear signal about how we view this place and see it as representing the best of the Ireland of today. If successful, Senator Buttimer will become the first openly gay Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann in its 100-year history. A proud Cork man, Senator Buttimer hails from Bishopstown and it was there he learned the great importance of community to our personal identity, our development and our values. Via his late mother, Nancy, a nurse, and his late father, Jerry, the highly regarded CEO of the COPE Foundation, the Cork-based not-for-profit foundation that supports adults and children with intellectual disabilities, he saw how giving of yourself to your community and society, benefits you and improves life for all. As a teacher and later as a director of adult education, Senator Buttimer showed this commitment to and passion for education, both as an agent for lifelong personal development and as an advocate for equality and social justice. Senator Buttimer will come to the post of Cathaoirleach with a strong record of political service from his time as a councillor on Cork County Council from 2004 to 2007, to his two full terms in this House - he is halfway through his third one at the moment - and one term in the other place. I have no doubt Senator Buttimer will preside over the Seanad with fairness and impartiality and that his conduct of the business in this House will be fair and always in accordance with the letter and spirit of our Standing Orders. This is all we ask of our Cathaoirleach and it is what we will get if we elect Senator Jerry Buttimer. Táim bródúil as ainm an tSeanadóra Buttimer a chur os comhar an Tí don phost mar Chathaoirleach.

David Norris (Independent)
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Before I call on a seconder, I understand the Leader of the House wishes to say a few words.

Regina Doherty (Fine Gael)
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My apologies, I should have said this, obviously, before Senator Wilson.

Senator Buttimer's career speaks for itself and it is fostered by the intriguing and social interests in political affairs he had when he was young and that were encouraged by his mam and dad. He has always been nosey and interested in everything but that span has hugely credited the people of Cork South-Central. He was first elected to the county council in 2004, served there until he was elected having contested his first election in 2007, elected to Seanad Éireann then and Dáil Éireann in 2011. He became the Chair of the Joint Committee on Health and steered us through one of the most difficult challenges and social changes we have had in this country over the past number of years, with such sensitivity and empathy when the women of Ireland were kind of ready to pounce on people. He did a wonderful job. He came back to Seanad Éireann a number of years ago and became the Leader here and everybody spoke so highly of him.

The measure of the man is that when I walked into my office a number of years ago when I became Leader, there was the most beautiful handwritten letter for me telling me and wishing me all of the goods. Today, in this term, we are proposing that he be the Cathaoirleach. It is not just because all of his political acumen and experience, and the wealth of issues he has championed, not least of which was establishing Fine Gael's LGBT organisation and widening that and co-operating with all of our other party's organisations to bring about the betterment and the equality for all of our citizens in this country. The real reason it is an honour for me to propose him today is because he is thoroughly the most decent person I think I have ever come across in my life. I have been friends with Senator Buttimer for nearly 15 years. He is the kindest, most generous and thoughtful person one will come across and I know when and if we elect him Chair, everybody will get to experience the breadth of the man who absolutely nurtures every single relationship he has. He has a really wide circle of friends and many people here can attest to that but he puts in the effort. He does not wait for somebody else to call him, he calls them. He has an enormous capacity for giving, for kindness, and for generosity, and by God, definitely in these times we could do with a bit more of that. Therefore, it is a real honour to propose Senator Jerry Buttimer to be our Chair.

David Norris (Independent)
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I thank the Leader for those eloquent and fitting words in tribute to Senator Buttimer. Are there any other speakers?

Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent)
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I did not want to interrupt the very lovely speeches for another excellent candidate, Senator Buttimer, but a minor point of procedure to flag is that I had indicated first. I do not know if it is possible to reflect that in the order in which the motions were taken but it would be good if it was because it is good we get to have all the opportunities to vote that we can.

I thank the Acting Chairperson and note it is really welcome to see him in the Chair today, especially as we come to the end of this historic year. It is my absolute honour to stand and nominate Senator Boyhan for the position of Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann. I have served alongside Senator Boyhan since 2016. We are not in the same group but we have seen each others' work and I have worked alongside him and during all of these years my respect and admiration has consistently deepened. I am proposing him for the role of Cathaoirleach because I believe he will bring great commitment and skill to the role, and because, crucially, I believe he cares very deeply about the Seanad and the work we do here.

As colleagues right across the House will recognise, Senator Boyhan is passionate about all aspects of democratic participation from planning to local government, to his dedicated work on the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly or the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, and most importantly he is passionate about Seanad Éireann. He recognises and appreciates that to serve as a Senator is both an honour and a responsibility; one he takes very seriously. That is why Senator Boyhan has so often been the one who is vigilant about fair procedure and proper process. Indeed, we have seen examples of that vigilance just this week. That proven attention to, and respect for, the principles of participation and the rules of good parliamentary practice would be invaluable in the role of Cathaoirleach; particularly when combined with the warmth, good humour and genuine enthusiasm which Senator Boyhan also brings to his engagement with all colleagues right across this House.

An Independent Senator and also an independent thinker, Senator Boyhan has always shown himself willing to listen with genuine openness to proposals and perspectives regardless of whether they originate from Government or from Opposition groups. He considers each policy on its merit and gives a fair hearing to all. In a similar spirit to Alice Stopford Green, who as we heard on Monday, recognised that the Members of the first Seanad were bound by one lofty obligation to complete the building of our common nation, Senator Boyhan has a similar way of seeking common purpose and assuming best intent. Indeed, I have seen Ministers who enter this House with reluctance, be moved towards constructive co-operation in response to the positive engagement and relentless encouragement from Senator Boyhan.

In his contributions to the Seanad, Senator Boyhan does not just draw on his skills as a legislator and as a public representative, he also draws on a deep empathy and the wisdom earned through his own life experience. He can identify the nuance in the text we debate but he also understands and speaks to the human impact of the decisions we are making. The role of the Cathaoirleach goes far beyond chairing the Seanad and the former Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, has shown the possibilities within that role to be an advocate for democracy, for a more diverse and open Oireachtas and for the importance of the Seanad to our society. Senator Boyhan would be an energetic and passionate Cathaoirleach, a fair and impartial Chair and a genuine champion for the Seanad. Indeed, whoever is chosen as Cathaoirleach today will need to serve as a fair and impartial Chair for all across this House and use the role to protect and promote the importance and integrity of the Seanad within and beyond the Oireachtas, including its vital role in the legislative process. The person will have to recognise, and where necessary remind others, that Senators, as parliamentarians and legislators, have a mandate, role and responsibilities that are separate and distinct from those of the Government and the Executive, and that is all part of the precious check and balance of democracy.

Senator Victor Boyhan exemplifies the qualities needed to serve as Cathaoirleach. He would be committed, fair-minded and able Chair. He would be a strong voice for the Seanad in the wider world. I welcome this opportunity to nominate him and ask colleagues to give him their support.

David Norris (Independent)
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Is there a seconder?

Tom Clonan (Independent)
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Yes, a dhuine uasail.

David Norris (Independent)
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I thank Senator Clonan.

Tom Clonan (Independent)
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It is great to see the father of the House here this morning. I take this opportunity to wish him and everybody else in the House, and all of our guests, a very happy Christmas and best wishes for the new year.

Before I second Senator Victor Boyhan I wish to remark on the embarrassment of riches in terms of Senators. I endorse everything that has been said about Senator Buttimer. In the short time that I have been here, I have found him to be a man of the utmost integrity, a thorough gentleman and a great mentor. I wish him luck in this division, which Paddy Power might describe as possibly having an upset here today so let us see.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I do not think so.

Tom Clonan (Independent)
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I second Senator Boyhan. I first met him 22 years ago outside the Old Punch Bowl on the Rock Road, Booterstown, County Dublin. We had just bought a house on Trimleston Avenue and Victor approached me as I pushed a buggy containing my two-month-old baby. Victor said to me, "You are new to the area, aren't you?" and I said, "That is right." I told him that we lived on Trimleston Avenue and Victor asked me, "Which side of Trimleston Avenue because that is where the boundary is?" So, once he was assured that I lived in the catchment, Victor explained to me his campaign and programme even though I was new to the area. I have met Victor over the years and he has been a great local representative. He has given 22 years of public service as a local representative and has worked so hard on the part of his constituents in Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown. He has given six years, as described eloquently by Senator Higgins, of dedicated service to the Seanad. I echo what the Senator said about Victor's absolute commitment to fair play and participation, and his attention to detail on all of the processes and procedures that run through here.

I was elected to this House in March of this year and Senator Boyhan rang my phone the following morning at 9.05. He said to me, "You're new to this House", which is an echo of what he had said to me 22 years earlier and he invited me to become a part of the Seanad Independent Group. Victor, as leader of that group, is impartial, fair and completely independent. The group is a technical group and we are not ideologically aligned so we have had many robust exchanges with each other in here. What we have within the group is a respect for the views of others. So even if one does not agree with somebody, as Plato, Aristotle and all of the philosophers would say, disagreement is the engine for truth and it is about engagement. Victor is exemplar of that independent, impartial spirit and that commitment to participatory democracy, debate and disagreement, which are healthy things.

Those of us who know Victor's life story know that he is an example of somebody who has triumphed over adversity. He is a great example of citizenship in this Republic-----

David Norris (Independent)
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Hear, hear.

Tom Clonan (Independent)
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-----and in this State. Senator Boyhan is somebody who despite challenges has overcome, not alone in the political realm but also in the realm of landscape gardening. He still has to call over and has not followed through on his promise that he would take a look at my garden.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I will and I need some grass seed as well.

Tom Clonan (Independent)
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The Senator brings a heightened sense of justice to the Seanad, and an absolute commitment to fairness, equality and diversity. For that reason, I am extremely proud to second Victor. He is an exemplar of all of the qualities that are essential for a Cathaoirleach of this august House.

David Norris (Independent)
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I understand that Senator Boyhan wishes to speak.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I thank Senator Norris. I welcome all of our guests and acknowledge the Ministers who are present. I acknowledge the presence of Senator Buttimer's husband, family and friends. I want to acknowledge the great Fine Gael support that is here and acknowledge all of the Senators.

I thank the father of the House who is in the Chair. It was a great honour for me when I was first nominated, in the context of Seanad elections, by Senator David Norris and former Senator, Feargal Quinn, and Deputies Seán Barrett and Maureen O'Sullivan who are Independent voices, Independent choices and exemplars in their own field. I was greatly honoured to accept the nomination and again the second time.

I am usually arrive here at 7.30 a.m. I left my house this morning and when I sat into my car and turned on the radio the bips sounded on RTÉ Radio One signifying the news at 7 a.m. I listened to the radio on my drive in here and one of the leading news stories was that the beginning of the transition of Government was going to take place and the rest would happen tomorrow. The news continued by stating that Senator Jerry Buttimer would be elected as Cathaoirleach and the Leas-Cathaoirleach would be Senator Mark Daly. That is the prediction and I am not naive but a pragmatist concerning this election. I believe in collaborating with people and that collaboration is a core essential of the job of Cathaoirleach. I am a realist in the sense that I know that the Government is a large one and a tripartite coalition that mobilises itself in a very professional way, which is politics.

Last night, I received two or three calls from people who suggested that I pull out of this election but I said "No" because it is important that we have elections, and that politics is about elections. Those callers suggested that I would lose but I replied that, quite frankly, I believe, and I think this goes for most of us if we are honest, that we learn more from a loss than from a gain. If we were never to go for election then none of us would be here. If we were to think we would be defeated all the time then we would not venture beyond ourselves or our perceived limited capacity. Therefore, I genuinely think that it is important that we have an election.

Article 15.9 of the Constitution speaks of Seanad Éireann's exclusive right to order its business and choose, by whatever means our Standing Orders permit, a Cathaoirleach and later on, by motion, a Leas-Cathaoirleach, which again is in our Standing Orders. What is somewhat disappointing and worth noting by anyone who is listening to this debate is that we do not have a secret ballot. For some reason we, in Seanad Éireann, have no secret ballot to elect our Cathaoirleach and Leas-Cathaoirleach. People will ask why and there are many reasons but I will not speculate. We know that in the Lower House that the Ceann Comhairle and Leas-Cheann Comhairle are elected by secret ballot.The Cathaoirleach was elected by a secret ballot and the Leas-Chathaoirleach was by a secret ballot. I want to focus in particular on the Leas-Chathaoirleach because that threw up a surprise. People had the confidentiality of the ballot box. They had privacy. They did not have anyone looking over their shoulders or applying a whip on what they may wish to do. That is something that we need to challenge ourselves on in this House. It is not all about the status quoand showing support for the political establishment of the day.

Looking back at the foundation of the State and particularly the foundation of the Seanad, there was no provision for the breakdown of political affiliations in this House. That is something that came along by precedent and the establishment. It suits various people to have it that way but there is no requirement that it should form. That is something that has developed. That is an important point.

I do not want to divert too much but I think it is important that we have choice in politics. The Independents who have served this House from its foundation were of a very high calibre, as were many other Members. It is very hard to quantify sometimes what Independents are but they are not whipped. They are free. Some people in this House will make a decision today because they are in a political structure. I respectfully understand they have to have some sort of co-ordination of how they operate their organisation and their party but there are others on this side of the House and we can vote for who we like and we walk away without any ramifications. There is no one threatening to throw us out or saying we are not toeing the line. That is an important point about Independents. It is important that we have participation and elections. That is why I have stood in local elections and here. I never thought I would be elected to Seanad Éireann and I was and further, I was elected a second time. It is not really about politics, it is about people. It is about winning the hearts and minds of people. It is about sitting around a table and breaking bread with them. It is about fellowship, sharing and building relationships. I have always tried to do that. Many a Minister may come in here and I might have a disagreement in terms of policy but I will always respect this House. I will always respect a Minister, Minister of State or the officials in this House. They serve this House well and with distinction. Each one of us sees the world from where we stand and our experiences within it. We bring those experiences through our lives. I am not too sure if one can distinguish between personal and political because that is our very being. Most of us have been politicised by experience and what has happened to us many years ago. I would never want to come in here and think that I had lost where I came from. If I was honest, and I am, the day of being elected to Seanad Éireann was not my greatest political achievement. My greatest political achievement personally was the day I was elected to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, the town that I grew up in. Certain sets of circumstances brought me there and I chose to continue to live there and I still live there. I walk by that town hall nearly every day. The greatest political achievement for me was being there with the connectivity and that acceptance and acknowledgement of the people who live around me, my citizens. I have no doubt in saying that Senator Buttimer is an exceptionally good candidate. I am not here to promote him but he is. I worked with him in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE. We travelled on various parliamentary delegations. We worked well here. He was the Leader of the House and I was the leader of the Independent group. He is a pragmatist too. There are a lot of similarities between the pair of us. When one is passionate about politics and what one believes there can be a certain amount of volatility around that but that is all part of it.

I am happy, willing and ready if people want to elect me for the job but I am equally happy to be a follower and to collaborate with other people and support other people. I have no doubt on this occasion that Senator Buttimer will be the victor today but those are the numbers because it is a numbers game. However, it is important that we do not all go around in the next six or nine months or a year doing nothing. I will leave Members with one challenge. Let us commit ourselves to Seanad reform and open it up to everyone outside this House. This is not an elitist little club and should not be. I would like to think that in the coming weeks and months we will set the task of seeking to provide in our Standing Orders that the election of Cathaoirleach and Leas-Chathaoirleach of this House will be by secret ballot where no one has anything to fear. It makes clear sense that is the way we go.

I wish Jerry, the election and the Senators well. They really do a good job. Despite what people may think, we are quite a close bunch of people. We defend this House. We always have. We recognise and respect the institution that it is.

I want to thank the staff. I thank the Leader and the Deputy Leader and I particularly want to thank Senator Mark Daly. He was a man who stretched this House. He opened up new possibilities. There is no need for constitutional changes or reform. I say this in a positive way for the new Chair, which is hopefully Senator Buttimer and it looks like he will be: use your imagination. I know he has lots of it but Senator Mark Daly set an example in this House.

Senators:

Hear, hear.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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He led this House. He elevated its status. He applied himself with energy and enthusiasm. In politics there is so much sniping at the edges so I want to say clearly here that he did a great job and whoever succeeds him will have a difficult act to follow.

Again, I say to the father of the House, that it is great to see him in the Chair. Senator Norris is one of my greatest political heroes and I thank him for chairing here today.

Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein)
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Well said.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I dtús báire, cuirim fáilte roimh an Seanadóir Norris. Tá sé ag féachaint go breá. We thrive on a contest and I congratulate Senator Boyhan on his excellent presentation today but also his sterling performance as a Member of this House since we came in here together in 2016. I thank my proposer and seconder for their very kind words. I thank Senator Joe O’Reilly for his graciousness on our behalf in Fine Gael. I thank him most sincerely for the job he did as Leas-Chathaoirleach. Equally, I thank the outgoing Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, for his wonderful term in the office. As Senator Boyhan said, he elevated the role of Cathaoirleach.

I do not come here today presumptuous. That is not my nature. I served as Leader of this House for five years and I worked with everybody to make this Chamber an inclusive, diverse welcoming House for everybody. Today I come to Senators as a Member of this House having served in public life for 18 years. That is 18 years as a councillor, Senator and as a Teachta Dála, representing people. Everything I have done in my political life has been about bringing people with me on a journey whether, as members of Fine Gael LGBT in the Gallery will know, it is changing minds about marriage equality or, as the Leader quite rightly said, in the most vexing question in the history of our State, on women’s healthcare, in this Chamber, thanks to the great leadership of the iar-Chathaoirleach, Senator Paddy Burke, we held in this Chamber the health committee hearings on the protection of life during pregnancy. For the first time ever, we had members of civic society and religious life in this Chamber, free from rancour, discussing the most vexing question of a generation. It was not just my leadership but that of us as parliamentarians that allowed that debate to happen that began the process to repeal the eighth amendment. Whatever your view on that issue, that was the beginning of the parliamentary debate. Equally, as Chair of the Joint Committee on Health, I demonstrated, with my political colleagues from Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil which was in Opposition at the time, and with my colleagues in Government, the Labour Party, that we could as a health committee work together. To paraphrase Dr. Mary McAleese, my political life has been about building bridges and relationships, North and South.I come today to the Chamber not as a Government nominee taking the House for granted but as a candidate asking all of you to support me. If Senator Boyhan is successful, he will have my full support because I believe in parliamentary democracy and the seamless transition of power. I believe in the power of the ballot box and the right we have to walk through the Tá or Níl lobby or push the voting button. Our forefathers fought for this. They stood up for it at a time 100 years ago when it was dangerous to be in political life. Today we remember we are here to do a sacred duty, whatever our beliefs.

I thank Senators Higgins and Clonan for their support of Victor. I have worked with Senator Victor Boyhan and I would nearly vote for him after the presentations this morning. He is a man of sincerity and passion. We can have an argument with him and five minutes later we shake hands and move on. This is the style of person I like. As he said, we have travelled together representing the House and the Parliament at the OSCE. We have done so with honour and integrity. I ask Members for their support today not because I am a Government nominee but because I am a person with experience in the House, vision and sincerity. Míle buíochas.

Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach, an Seanadóir Norris, ar ais chuig an Seanad agus gabhaim buíochas lenár n-iar-Chathaoirleach agus lenár n-iar-Leas-Chathaoirleach. I will begin by thanking the outgoing Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, and acknowledge, as have other colleagues, his real steadfast commitment to the House and pushing the boundaries of the House. I am sure my fellow group leaders will acknowledge he could be a right pain in the neck sometimes in terms of how he was trying to push it and how eager and determined he was to do so but he never gave up. He had a short window in which to do it and he made a number of significant contributions in his role as Cathaoirleach. I acknowledge this.

I hope in the next round we will have an opportunity to reflect on the esteemed and very worthwhile contribution of our outgoing Leas-Chathaoirleach, my friend Senator Joe O'Reilly. I should have said my friend and fellow Ulsterman, Senator Joe O'Reilly, because it is important that we get it on the record.

I could not put it any more eloquently than Senator Higgins and Clonan did with regard to Sinn Féin's support today for Senator Boyhan. I will not even try and I am sure Victor will appreciate that. What has needed to be said has been said. I congratulate Senator Buttimer on his nomination. Senator Buttimer is what Jim in my office calls "nationally minded". I know he knows, and he will be reminded of it often, that this is Seanad Éireann and not Seanad some-of-Éireann. I look forward to working with him in this spirit and regard. I also know from his time as the Leader of the House in the previous term that he has a real rebel Cork mentality. I look forward, if indeed he is elected, with a certain degree of mischievousness, to see just how Senator Buttimer will temper himself in the role of Cathaoirleach when things get a bit heated or problematic for him. Never the less I wish both candidates well. I indicate our support today for Senator Boyhan.

In making a closing point, which is a political point, I agree with the speakers who have spoken about the House. I have certainly found it very different from my experience in Belfast City Hall. In this House we can make our political points and have our political differences but retain a degree of collaboration and co-operation. What we are likely to see today and what we are likely to see happen in the Dáil tomorrow is merely a swap. It is not change. It is not real change. It is not the change that people want and so desperately need. In saying this it is my firm commitment to work respectfully and collaboratively with the new Cathaoirleach and the new Leas-Chathaoirleach. It is also my firm wish that people get what they want for Christmas, which is the real contest. We have spoken about the primacy of contests and giving people a democratic and electoral choice. It is my hope that we will have a general election, a change of Government and change of Seanad pretty soon that reflects this. I wish both candidates well. I look forward to hearing not only their visions for the future but how we can work together in the House.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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I would like to make a contribution but I do not want to do so under false pretences. I do not propose to propose anybody.

David Norris (Independent)
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Senator Mullen is welcome to speak.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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I thank the Acting Chair. I have a few thoughts I would like to offer. I would very much like to start by saying how glad I am to see Senator Norris here today. I know I speak for everybody on that much. When I go home at weekends I go through Ballinasloe sometimes. A long way out from Ahascragh there is a place called the Horse Block. There is a reflector sign there to tell people there is a T-junction and they see it at long way before they get there. I think about the Horse Block when I am walking in the direction of the Dáil Bar because a long way out from me I see a portrait of very fine legislator. I know exactly who that portrait is of because I can say I had some part in getting it into the Houses.

David Norris (Independent)
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Thank you for that.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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It is great to see Senator Norris in the flesh as well as on the wall.

I was approached some time ago by Senator Buttimer who asked me whether I would support him. I said I would be delighted to do so. It is not that I think my views are particularly special but I want to make several important points and I would be grateful for the attention of the House to allow me to do so. I agree with Senator Buttimer on many important things. I disagree with him on many important things. I suspect that on some of those important things that we agree on and disagree on neither of us is likely to change our minds, in the short term anyway. Even if we never agreed on anything I would be delighted to see Senator Jerry Buttimer in the Chair as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann because I trust him 100% to be an effective and impartial Chair of Seanad Éireann who will build on the excellent example given by his predecessor, Senator Mark Daly.

Some people want to impute significance to aspects of Senator Buttimer's private life. That dimension of the encomium is not shared by some us who regard sexuality and such areas as part of a person's private life to be respected. There is legitimate agreement and disagreement about what the law should regard as desirable and normative and what must be seen by all as important personal space where the law should stay away on occasions. In this sense it is not a relevant issue for me or for many people I know I speak for when I speak in the Chamber. And yet there is a sense, I must acknowledge, in which it is relevant. I cannot pay a greater compliment to Senator Buttimer than to say I trust him absolutely that if any of these issues in any form comes to be debated in the House I know I will be as respected and valued by him as an elected public representative as somebody who might share his views or have views much more congenial to his views. These points are important. He proved his credentials on that point only today. The six most important words he uttered when he spoke about the repeal of the eighth amendment was "whatever your view on that issue".I do not know whether anybody else picked that up but those words meant something to me. I know they meant something to others who share my views and have voted accordingly and I know they meant something to those who voted against my views but privately shared them. This is something we all must continue to reflect on as Senators. There is a considerable portion in each of the parties that is not happy with some, not all, aspects of the social change going on in this country but who do not feel empowered or feel their progress within their parties will be impeded if they do not get on board with the dominant position. Senators in political parties who are bound by Whips, formal or informal, must reflect on that if they are to do their duty by the citizens of this country.

There are going to be difficult debates in this House in future, and surrogacy is but one, where people have deeply personal, relevant and important views, to which they are entitled, but where people who have different views must be allowed to speak equally and be respected equally. It cannot be the case that those of us who see social damage in things others see as social progress and those of us who value the things others seek to devalue would be seen as second-class legislators or that our sense of urgency would be derided or castigated as something it is not. We depend on you, Senator Buttimer. I am not interested in your personal view on those issues. I am not interested, in a way, in how you vote on those issues but I depend on you, as does Senator Keogan, who has been very courageous in recent times, to set a standard that others will follow and that committees must follow. I have sat on committees where we did not feel like we were all equally valued participants in the work of Oireachtas Éireann.

I will say something else that might be seen as a little controversial. I do not do so to make a point but because it is an important day and we are all in the Chamber listening. It is extremely important that we respect people's private lives. It is also important that those of us who enjoy any kind of public profile be prudent about how we conduct our private lives because when we enjoy any kind of public profile people start looking at us. One example are people who are bringing up children and looking to others to help them model important values as those children move towards personal maturity. If we ever depart from protecting our privacy scrupulously, we run the risk of making our private life a public thing and we might cause people to believe they may be affected by the values we are projecting.

Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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On a point of order, a Chathaoirligh Gníomhaigh, what is the relevance of this to the motion before the House?

Senators:

Hear, hear.

Róisín Garvey (Green Party)
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We all have opinions on lots of different things but we do not have to be ignorant.

David Norris (Independent)
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I am just coming to that. I ask Senator Mullen to keep his remarks as relevant as he can.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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I will, and I have made my point on that. I thought it was a useful point but people will make their judgments on it.

All that being said, I learned in recent times that my friend Senator Boyhan intended to put his name forward. I agree with everything he has said. It is important we have elections. It is important and desirable for us to have a secret ballot for the election of the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann. It would be a very good thing if, in the near future, we had an Independent in the Chair of Seanad Éireann. That was to some degree reinforced for me when a Fine Gael friend asked me today whether my vote could be relied on today, even though two thirds of the House are in the bag. I must be honest and say I would like to vote for both candidates. If there was a chance Senator Boyhan would be elected today, I would give him my vote because he is in my group, is a personal friend and it would signify something very important. However, I do not want on this day that is the crowning of Senator Buttimer's political life so far to in any way withhold my vote from him, whom I rejoice to see elected.

It has already been said that Senator Buttimer has big shoes to fill in following Senator Mark Daly's excellent contribution to raising the profile, credibility and prestige of Seanad Éireann. There are a couple of things the Senator could do for us when he comes to the Chair, those being, to use his influence to ensure the Standing Orders and the way they are interpreted operate to allow us to make the maximum possible contribution to deliberation on legislation. The number of times Members have amendments ruled out of order because they could involve a charge on the Exchequer, and the way that is interpreted, is absolutely ridiculous. Those votes are never going to be won and if they were, they would be no more than recommendations and even if they were amendments accepted by the House, the Dáil would be able to override them anyway and do so within a very short time if there was a money dimension to them. It is really important we open our minds about that. I think Senator Norris has spoken on it before.

David Norris (Independent)
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I have a motion on the Order Paper.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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The Senator has led the way on that.

The second thing is equally important. Only this week, we heard a report of how judges had said the Legislature had waited for too long, left it for too long or failed for too long to legislate. I have wondered why our judges are making judgments on what the Legislature seeks to do. There is supposed to be a separation of powers. However, the point is that the Judiciary does not control what we as legislators do and, therefore, it is no great harm for judges to say what they do so long as they do not put their impartiality in doubt by doing so. The reverse of that is also true. If I express my surprise at a court decision, it is inappropriate that I or any other Member be told there is a separation of powers. Once it is clear we do not seek to curtail the judges in their function, it is absolutely legitimate that we as politicians comment on important public issues as they arise, even if there is a court dimension. We must look at how Standing Orders operate and are being interpreted because too often the damp hand or heavy hand comes down when all that is involved is the making of a legitimate contribution and it is quite clear to everybody the House is not seeking to somehow hold the courts to account.

That is all I have to say. I wish Senator Boyhan the very best. I would like to see him as Cathaoirleach, if not now then someday soon. As Humphrey Bogart said "Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon ...". He went on to say "for the rest of your life" but I would not wish that for anyone. I rejoice to see the very well-deserved honouring and elevation of Senator Buttimer that will happen today.

David Norris (Independent)
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Senator Ruane is next.

Lynn Ruane (Independent)
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Thank you, a Chathaoirligh Gníomhaigh. It is lovely to see you here. I definitely miss you in the Chamber. I was doing a podcast during the week and we did a sketch where Mario Rosenstock was doing your voice and it was quite interesting. I felt like I was back with you for half an hour.

I had to come in because I kind of feel like I was held hostage against my will. We are here to speak about two fine candidates running for office-----

Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)
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That is the business.

Lynn Ruane (Independent)
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That is the business of the day, so I am not going to go on a tangent, other than to say we should have focused on the two candidates before us.

Senators:

Hear, hear.

Lynn Ruane (Independent)
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They are two fine candidates. Private life does matter because without our private lives, we would not have the principles, convictions and visions we have. Many of our personal lives, the lives we have lived, the people we have loved and the people we share a life with are what drive us forward in this House and help us be good legislators. Therefore, to congratulate somebody and their husband on this is okay. To talk about Senator Boyhan as a councillor 22 years ago and the life he experienced before he came in is okay too. If I did not get to speak about my private life in this Chamber, none of my policies would even exist because all I do is talk about drugs, prison and everything I have only ever experienced in my personal and private life. Our personal and private lives are so interlinked and it is okay for us to celebrate them today. I wish the two candidates the best of luck and wish everyone a happy Christmas.

David Norris (Independent)
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I thank Senator Ruane.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Dearbhaím go sollúnta go ndéanfaidh mé, go cuí agus go dílis agus a mhéid is eol agus is cumas dom, oifig Chathaoirleach Sheanad Éireann a fheidhmiú gan scáth gan fabhar, na rialacha mar atá siad leagtha síos ag an Teach seo a chur i bhfeidhm go cothrom neamhchlaonta, ord a choimeád agus cearta agus pribhléidí Comhaltaí a chaomhnú de réir an Bhunreachta agus de réir Bhuan-Orduithe Sheanad Éireann. I do solemnly declare that I will duly and faithfully and to the best of my knowledge and ability, execute the office of Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann without fear or favour, apply the rules as laid down by this House in an impartial and fair manner, maintain order and uphold the rights and privileges of Members in accordance with the Constitution and the Standing Orders of Seanad Éireann.Ar dtús ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a chur in iúl daoibh as mé a thoghadh mar Chathaoirleach. Is mór an onóir agus an phribhléid dom agus tá mé ag tnúth le bheith ag obair le gach uile dhuine díobh i gcaitheamh an ama atá romhainn. I hope Senators will excuse me because I have a bit of a speech to read. I have been waiting for this for 18 years. I will allow no heckling this afternoon.

Father of the House, Senator Norris, thank you for being with us today and for fulfilling an important role. I thank you as well as for your dedicated commitment to public service as a Member of Seanad Éireann and for what you have done over many years. Your campaigning and activism have made life better for thousands of Irish citizens and for Irish society. Go raibh míle maith agat.

I ask that we all remember Private Seán Rooney and his family and salute his bravery. I also ask that we send our best wishes to Private Shane Kearney and his family.

I thank Seanad Éireann for electing me Cathaoirleach. It is an extraordinary privilege and honour that I never thought would happen. Ursula von der Leyen gave me permission and licence to do the following. The words of the Joni Mitchell song, one of my favourites, "Both Sides Now", comes to mind:

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels

The dizzy dancing way you feel

As every fairy tale comes real

I've looked at love that way.

I thank my proposer, Senator Doherty, and seconder, Senator Wilson, for their wonderful remarks. They have both been friends. Senator Wilson and I go back to 1984, when in Maynooth College we were friends and troublemakers. Father Duhig had a tough time with us but we did okay after that.

As the 25th occupant of the Cathaoirleach's Chair and having served for 15 years as a Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas, I am acutely aware of the responsibilities and duties of the role impressed upon me by my election today. I thank Senator Boyhan for contesting the position. It is healthy to have a contest, and we were fortunate to have a choice in Senator Boyhan. He is a person of calibre and integrity who I have worked with well when I was Leader. As Cathaoirleach, I look forward to working with him in the future.

I commit to Members that I will continue, as my oath of office declares, to be impartial and maintain the fairness that is the hallmark of all Cathaoirligh of Seanad Éireann. My door will be open to all Senators. I will not always get it right, but I will do my best in the role. Déanfaidh mé mo sheacht ndícheall. Pléifidh mé go cothrom agus go neamhchlaonta libh ar fad.

I am pleased, on a personal note, to be the first Cork Cathaoirleach elected who is not an O'Donovan, who is not from west Cork and who is not on the agricultural panel. Timothy O'Donovan, a Fine Gael man, was elected from 1948 to 1951 and our good friend Senator O'Donovan, who cannot be here today, was Cathaoirleach from 2016 to 2020. As a proud Corkonian, I look forward in a different way to advocating for my city. Members will be glad I will not be able to speak about Cork on the Order of Business or Commencement matters in the future.

I thank the people of Cork, in particular those in my native Bishopstown and the south west, for having confidence in me in 2004. I am especially thankful to my Fine Gael Seanad colleagues for selecting me as a nominee and to our party leader, the Tánaiste, who is here today, for having the confidence in me. I welcome him and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, Deputy Richmond, a former Senator, and Deputy Griffin to the Public Gallery.

In three elections, our councillors and my parliamentary colleagues have elected me to Seanad Éireann. I will be forever grateful for their support. To all the people watching at home who canvassed for me over 18 years fighting eight elections, today is their day as much as it is mine. I would not be here without them. Míle buíochas.

As I assume this office, I express my appreciation for the previous Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly. As he said on Monday, he fulfilled five years' work in two and a half. He was an extraordinary Cathaoirleach and elevated the House. Beir bua.

I thank my friend, Senator Joe O'Reilly, for his graciousness and generosity. During his tenure as Leas-Chathaoirleach, he was always fair, personal, understanding and, above all, fulfilled the role with dedication and commitment. He is an absolute gentleman who has made a huge contribution to Fine Gael, Cavan and Irish public life. Míle buíochas.

I thank the outgoing Leader, Senator Doherty, for her leadership over a difficult period dealing with Covid and having to be in different buildings. Senator Kyne, the Government Chief Whip in the Seanad, will be stepping down. His calm, quiet, yet determined and steely manner got the job done, of course with the help of Deirdre Chambers. Míle buíochas and thank you to both. I wish the incoming Leader, Senator Lisa Chambers, and Chief Whip, Senator Gallagher, every success. They are incredible parliamentarians and will do an excellent job.

I thank Senator Pauline O'Reilly, who is vacating the Green leader's position, for her friendship and her wonderful ability to turn adversity into triumph in this Chamber. She is an extraordinary person who did a great job as temporary Chair but also in representing the Green Party. Míle buíochas. I wish Senator Garvey every success in the role.

Our parliamentary community has grown since we came in here. We are fortunate that our Seanad Office team, the ushers, the men and women who record and write about us, those who provide us with catering and cleaning services and those involved in every aspect of Leinster House, from the Bills Office to the Library staff, are extraordinary people. We, as parliamentarians, value them and appreciate the work they do, often at very unsociable hours. I thank them and their families.

As a politician, my respect for the Houses of the Oireachtas is deeply rooted. Seanad Éireann continues to play an important role in Irish political life but is at its best passing legislation and, by our Private Members' time, advancing change. As parliamentarians, we have a critical role to play in addressing the challenges of today's rapidly changing world. Collectively, I hope and ask that we enable people to connect with and participate in what we do in this House through policy formation debates to make our Parliament, Houses of the Oireachtas and Seanad relevant to their life.

President Biden said the global community stands at an inflection point in history. The Global Parliamentary Report portrays a record number of 739 parliamentarians from 44 countries around the world who last year suffered violations of their fundamental rights. We are fortunate that does not happen to us in the Houses of the Oireachtas. We must continue to chart the course of enhancing parliamentary democracy, rather than autocracy. The primacy of these Houses, as Senator Higgins said, must always be upheld and asserted by us as Members. It offers us the opportunity to not just be the voice of the people we represent but also to improve the lives of people. We are leaders and must lead. Today we stand with our fellow parliamentarians across the world; especially we stand with and salute the men and women of Ukraine. Slava Ukraini.

My good friend, Senator Paddy Burke, last Monday posed the pertinent question of what those 60 Senators in the first Seanad would think of today's Ireland and today's Seanad. I believe they would be happy to see a modern, pluralist, democratic country a century on embarking on a new and exciting journey while discussing independence and what a united Ireland may look like, with different traditions and hues as part of that. They would see an island nation on the periphery of Europe yet very much at its heart. We are a nation that has always risen to our many challenges, among them today the cost of living, housing and the energy crisis. These challenges must be met by Government, and I believe they will be. We, as a House, have a role to play in that policy formation.

This Seanad, way more than that which obtained 100 years ago, is a diverse and inclusive one.The presence of Senator Flynn representing the Travelling community, Senator Conway championing disability, five members of the LGBT community, 40% women elected, women leaders and a northern voice in Senator Ó Donnghaile, all make this Seanad diverse and inclusive.

As in keeping with previous Cathaoirligh, I have a number of themes I want to develop during my time of office. The day the Good Friday Agreement was signed, 10 April 1998, is a day we recall as a nation with pride. Twenty-five years on, we will remember and reflect on that same Good Friday Agreement. A quarter of a century later, what was once a fragile peace continues on our island. I believe it is highly appropriate that Seanad Éireann commemorates and recognises in a real way that agreement. As Chairperson of the then Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children, I led members to Stormont to meet our northern colleagues and welcome the northern colleagues on a return visit to Leinster House. It is equally important that as Members of Seanad Éireann, we continue to actively engage and to meet with Members of the Legislative Assembly, MLAs, in Stormont. That strong association during my term will continue to be nurtured across all traditions. Tá súil agam go gcuirfimid lenár gcaidreamh le feisirí Stormont.

I am anxious that we, as a Seanad and House of the Oireachtas, in a permanent way mark the life of Senator Billy Fox, who was the only Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas killed during the Troubles.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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Hear, hear.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I want to build on the good work of Senator McGahon in making sure that a fitting memorial will be erected in Leinster House to remember the late Senator Fox. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

In keeping with the ethos of Seanad Éireann in promoting minority voices, I would like that Seanad Éireann during my time would in some way play a real role in promoting the human rights of all persons with disabilities. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities offers us a roadmap. To stand up for persons with a disability and their rights is a theme we all should embrace.

On 14 November 1923, William Butler Yeats won the Noble Prize for Literature. He created history when he was awarded that prize in literature because he became the first Irish citizen to achieve such an accolade. Yeats was an Irishman, a poet and a Senator. The citation read, "for his always inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation". That spirit of nationhood was captured by Yeats in "The Wild Swans at Coole", as follows:

Their hearts have not grown old;

Passion or conquest, wander where they will,

Attend upon them still.

I hope that next year we can pay tribute to Yeats. Tá cónaí orainn ar oileán ina bhfuil teanga fhileata, cultúr saibhir agus stair bhródúil. Tá sé de dhualgas orainn ar fad an oidhreacht sin a chaomhnú agus a chothú.

Ireland became a proud member of the European Union on 1 January 1973 following a referendum in which 83% of our population voted to support. Membership of the EU has benefited our country immensely. I believe next year it is important to reflect on Ireland EU's membership and the many positive impacts it continues to have on our nation. I believe that we as a Seanad should reflect in a tangible way on 50 years of EU membership.

Next June, Ireland will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland. I ask all Members to support me in order that we as a House can commemorate this groundbreaking legislation that changed life for so many. It is a milestone anniversary. As the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Varadkar, stated in 2018 in thanks to those who fought that battle, especially our colleague, the father of the House, Senator Norris, they "helped change minds and change laws [but also they] fought for me before I did so myself." That was so true of Senator Norris for many generations. Senator Norris's bravery and courage has meant so much to many of us that we can live a full and open life. We will never forget the Senator.

My election as Cathaoirleach today and tomorrow's re-election, please God, of Deputy Varadkar as Taoiseach in our national Parliament, these Houses of the Oireachtas, sends a powerful message to every young person and not-so-young person across Ireland and the world who is questioning their sexual identity. As a member of the LGBT community, one is free to be oneself and one can realise one's dreams in this wonderful country. The words of Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow" are simple:

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream,

Really do come true.

Mar focal scoir, is mór an dúshlán atá romhainn na laethanta seo. Tá ról lárnach ag Seanad Éireann i bpolaitíocht na hÉireann agus beidh an Seanad ina cheannródaí i ndíospóireachtaí reatha na tíre. Impím ar gach ball anseo a dtacaíocht luachmhar a thabhairt chun cinn.

Family is important to all of us in politics. We make sacrifices and they make sacrifices. I am proud and pleased today that my husband, Conchobar, is here. He is my love and I thank him for being here.

I am joined by my brother, Mary - sorry, my brother, John, and my sister, Mary. She was always called one of the lads so she really could be.

Lynn Ruane (Independent)
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She nearly had a heart attack.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I know William is watching at work.

I thank my first cousin, J.J., and his wife, Nora, who have campaigned in every election with us. My second home is present - former Senator, Denis Cregan and his wife, Mary. I am their eighth child. I felt like I was always part of their family.

I am joined by Dan Ryan and Enda, two friends of mine who have been with me all the time, and Ruth Lawlor, my secretary, who is not my secretary; she is my mother, my friend, my confidante, the effervescent ever-giving-out person in my life but she is a wonderful true friend.

I thank my wonderful nieces and nephew for bringing me much laughter and pride but, above all, for their cheap electoral support in dropping leaflets and canvassing.

I thank my family for the encouragement and support they have given me during my time as a public representative. Today, we remember Conchobar's late father, Timmy, and especially thank Mrs. Ó Laoghaire for her support. Thankfully, she is still very much with us.

I think of my parents, Nancy and Jerry senior, the biggest influences in my life. Both believed in public service and in looking after the marginalised in our society. We miss them every day. They would be very happy to see me here today, their son elected as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann. I know they are with me. I wish Mum had the opportunity to see her two sons give of themselves in public life, and John, as Lord Mayor of Cork, did so exceptionally.

My Dad attended two Seanad counts, in 2007 and 2016. To say he loved the counts would be an understatement. Tom Burke published a beautiful picture of us after the 2016 count smiling. My father became an expert on the Seanad electoral system at 2 a.m. in 2007 during a very tense Labour Panel count. A friendship grew from that with Senator Cassells and I thank Shane for his support and friendship over the years. I thank my parents for their love and for all the sacrifices they made to afford us as a family every opportunity in life.

This is an important week. The seamless transfer of power tomorrow of the offices of Taoiseach and Tánaiste from the leader of Fianna Fáil to Fine Gael, and here in Seanad Éireann from one Cathaoirleach to another Cathaoirleach of different parties, demonstrates the strength of our democracy. We are fortunate that we live in the best country in the world. Let us celebrate it. Ní neart go cur le chéile. Go raibh maith agaibh.

I should welcome Deputy Stanton to the Gallery as well, and Brian Murphy, chief of staff of the Fine Gael Party. I thank all the people in the Public Gallery, friends of mine from Fine Gael LGBT, Fine Gael staff members and people in the Tánaiste's office.

I now call Senator Victor Boyhan.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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First, I welcome the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ministers of Government, Senators and Deputies, and, of course, the bigger Oireachtas parliamentary family that is here in such numbers. I do not think I have ever seen as many people in the room. It has the sense of a carnival or a festival here today.Well done to Senator Buttimer. We have heard some really inspirational words from him today. What has always struck me about him is his ability to interweave life's experience and emotions, which makes it very real. We have done a good day's work and made a good choice. I have no doubt Senator Buttimer will be an exceptional Cathaoirleach and I wish him well. He will need the support of everyone in this House now. We have made a choice. We have chosen our Cathaoirleach in the Seanad, which is our privilege.

I welcome Senator Buttimer's family and his husband Conchobar. It is a very moving time for them. RTÉ was right this morning. I began my remarks by saying that when I took the frost off my car this morning and turned the key I heard the pips for the 7 o'clock news. The newsreader said that Jerry Buttimer would be Cathaoirleach of the Seanad. That did not come as a surprise to me at all and I can see why. He is an exceptional person and is here at the right time. There is a time and a place for everything and Senator Buttimer is the right man in the right chair at the right time. I wish him every happiness in this job. I know he will do a fantastic job and once more I say, well done.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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A Chomhsheanadóirí, a Thánaiste, a Airí, a Theachtaí Dála, agus a dhaoine uaisle uilig, i dtús báire ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas ó chroí a dhéanamh le Seanadóir Buttimer as a bheith tofa mar Chathaoirleach. Is onóir faoi leith é agus tá sé tuillte aige. Níl amhras orm ach go ndéanfaidh sé jab den chéad scoth agus go mbeidh sé thar bharr mar Chathaoirleach. Tá an-áthas orm a bheith ábalta na focail sin a rá leis. Chomh maith le sin, ba mhaith mo chomhghairdeas a dhéanamh le Seanadóir Boyhan as ucht bheith ina iarrthóir iontach maith agus stuama. Rinne sé an-jab agus mo chomhghairdeas leis as sin.

I congratulate Senator Buttimer on his election as Cathaoirleach of the Seanad. He will embrace the important aspects of that office. He will be fair, which is critical for a start, and inclusive. Everything about his life experience and everything he articulates and says convinces me that inclusivity, pluralism, diversity and the involvement of everyone, which are central to his core beliefs, will be reflected in the way he chairs the House. It is not just about Standing Orders. There is more too it than that and Senator Buttimer understands that, which is important. He will bring a reforming zeal to the Seanad and use his acute intelligence and imagination to broaden out the role and work at it. He was an excellent Leader of the Seanad and an excellent chairman of Oireachtas committees. As a colleague in the Dáil previously, he was an excellent advocate for his people in that Chamber too. He brings to the office the requisite qualities, ability and personal integrity and the breadth of vision that comes from his life experience.

It was wonderful to see the father of the House, Senator Norris, here. He performed in such an admirable way, as he always does. Today has to be such a proud day for him on so many levels. He was a mould breaker. He is the great exemplar of the capacity of this House to break moulds, transcend, go beyond and go the distance.

I pay a heartfelt tribute to Senator Buttimer's predecessor, Senator Mark Daly. I had the privilege of working closely with him and can say that he pushed out the boundaries. He worked extremely hard in the role. He did a wonderful job on Seanad 100, Seanad na nÓg, the European dimension and so many other facets of the work, including reaching agreement with the Oireachtas committee with regard to the scrutiny of European legislation. All of that is part of the reform of the Seanad and the Senator embraced that and pushed those boundaries out. Senator Buttimer will have to continue in the same vein.

On a lighter note, Senator Daly rang me last night. He has a lovely lilting Kerry accent and a very good way on the phone. He said, "Did you get that letter in Joe?". I pretended for a while that I did not know what he was talking about. I think he had a slight interest in that letter going in. Certainly the afternoon's proceedings would suggest that he had more than a passing interest. He has a very persuasive way and he was making sure that the letter went in.

I will take the opportunity later, when we have elected a new Leas-Chathaoirleach, to pay tribute to the staff of the Seanad and others. Mar fhocail scoir, tá sé soiléir ó na focail sa ráiteas a thug sé níos luaithe go bhfuil aige meas aige don teanga agus ar oidhreacht na tíre seo. Tá sé sin soiléir ón ráiteas. Molaim dó an meas sin a chur i bhfeidhm i rith na bliana, an Ghaeilge a úsáid agus na comhghleacaithe go léir a spreagadh agus a mholadh chun giota beag Gaeilge a labhairt gach lá.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Just in case Members think I am going rogue already, I am just calling out names as they were indicated to me. Senator Pauline O'Reilly is next.

Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach. It is wonderful to be able to say that to Senator Buttimer.

We have had a very interesting couple of years in the Seanad. This is my first time in the Seanad and sometimes when I was getting the train up from Galway, I was the only person in the carriage. We had a really unique experience over the last couple of years and we are almost like a family in here. We have got to know each other very well. I met very few people other than Senators and my immediate family over that period. In that time, I got to know Senator Buttimer well and we have become really good friends. He is effervescent and vivacious and we could do with a bit more of that. He is also very honourable. Often I think that Fine Gael is very lucky to have him and many of the party representatives across the Chamber would say the same.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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Is Senator O'Reilly recruiting?

Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party)
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Senator Buttimer is one of us, regardless of who "us" is, which is possibly the best thing that can be said about somebody. Now that he has taken the Chair, I know he will perform the role in an unbiased way. I would not trust everybody to do the job fairly but I trust Senator Buttimer to do so and I really look forward to working with him.

I also want to pay tribute to the former Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, who also has a vivaciousness about him, as described by Senator Joe O'Reilly. I have got to know Senator Daly very well, having worked with him on the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight, CPPO, over the last couple of years, and on Seanad 100, alongside Senator Boyhan. We have been chaired exceptionally well over the last couple of years. I also pay tribute to Ms Grace Coyle. She is a large part of the force behind Senator Daly and I am sure he would say that himself. On a recent trip to the US, Senator Daly and Ms Coyle very generously invited me and Senator Cassells to join them at the White House and that is something that I will take with me.

I will thank another couple of people in the time remaining. As the Cathaoirleach said, I am stepping down as the leader of the Green Party group in the Seanad and handing over to the amazing Senator Garvey. It has been a privilege to serve as the leader for the last couple of years. We made a decision that we would swap over at the same time as the two main parties swapped over and that is right, fair and proper. I have worked with Senators Doherty and Chambers and it has been an honour to do so. I will continue to do that. Indeed, we have a joint Bill on which Senator Doherty has done a huge amount of work and I am looking forward to it getting through the Houses.It is also really appropriate for me to say a few words about my clansman and friend, Senator Joe O'Reilly, because we got to know each other very well over the past couple of years. We found each other - O'Reilly's - in the Seanad and will remain firm friends because the Senator does his people, our people, proud.

I will say a few words about Senator Garvey, who will take over from me as leader of the Green Party group. During my term as leader of the Green Party group, I also became chair of the party. As chair, I can say that we are delighted to have Senator Garvey running for us in Clare but also being a strong force and a strong rural voice. Regardless of where we are, that voice has remained strong. As leader, I know she will do us proud. It is appropriate that we have those rural voices, particularly from the Green Party, in positions of leadership. That is what we will see over the next couple of years. I will let Senator Garvey take it from here. I congratulate her and look forward to working with her.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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It was wonderful to listen to the Cathaoirleach's speech this morning safe in the knowledge that this is the last time we will have to hear him make long speeches, particularly about Cork and looking towards west Cork as the enemy for him. I am delighted for him. I have travelled, worked, joked and argued with him. I believe he is the right man in the right place for the right time.

I was delighted to hear two things in his speech. One was the Good Friday Agreement. We have allowed the Good Friday Agreement to wander on since it was voted on. We need to start taking a more proactive look at that and the Cathaoirleach is just the man to do that.

The Cathaoirleach mentioned Private Rooney, who lost his life tragically in Lebanon. Like all of the soldiers in our Defence Forces, and the Cathaoirleach have discussed this many times, Private Rooney served his country with honour and dignity and they are always there. I sent an email today to all Members of the Oireachtas that contained a piece written by a company quartermaster sergeant that under normal circumstances, I would ask to read into the record but today is not the day for that. I hope the Cathaoirleach will allow that in January. At the proudest moment of the Cathaoirleach's life, he thought of a member of our Defence Forces on which I commend him. It was a wonderful thing to do.

My friend and colleague Senator Boyhan was safe in the knowledge that he was never going to beat the Cathaoirleach anyway. It was a numbers game. However, I commend Senator Boyhan on his commitment to democracy and for making sure that no post in this country that is electable is ever granted or given to anybody as a gift. The people, our electorate, put us here and we put the Cathaoirleach where he is, which is the way it should work. It should always work that way.

Senator Mark Daly has been an exceptional Cathaoirleach - a very fair and far-thinking man who broke all the boundaries here. I commend him on his work. Our Leader Senator Doherty and our Deputy Leader, Senator Chambers from County Mayo, have been excellent to work with. They have been willing to allow us to put things on the record as part of our role here.

I wish the Cathaoirleach the best of luck as he moves forward and I sincerely hope he achieves the ideals he set out today. Congratulations my friend- the very best of luck to you.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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I am thrilled for the Cathaoirleach. He is deserving of the position to which he has been elevated. I welcome his husband Conchobar and his family, friends, nieces and nephews. It is great to see his party colleagues, the Tánaiste and ministerial colleagues, Deputies and of course, all the Seanadóirí as well.

Having got to know him over many years - the last term and this term - I have no doubt that he will do a fantastic job as Chair. He is passionate about Cork and even more passionate about his party, Fine Gael. He is sometimes tribal but I find that quite endearing. Maybe I would say that. It is that passion he brings to the job and his role as a Senator that I know he will carry into his role as Cathaoirleach of this House.

I also commend Senator Boyhan on having a contest and ensuring there was a vote in this House. That is important. I take on board the comments made by some Senators around how that process works. Perhaps we will revisit that at some point in the future.

This is an important day for the Cathaoirleach. It is a big day. To be Cathaoirleach of the Seanad is a huge honour and privilege. Very few people have sat or will sit in that Chair in which he sits today and we should never forget that. Very few people will get the opportunity to sit in this House. It is a huge privilege and honour and we carry that responsibility, privilege and honour on our shoulders every day when we represent the people of this country and do our job as parliamentarians, legislators and policymakers. It is a huge honour to have a seat in this House. Every time I drive through the gates of Leinster House, I think about how great it is just to be here and I know all Members share that same passion for the role.

I also pay tribute to our outgoing Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly. As has been said by many Members, he stretched the boundaries of the role of Cathaoirleach. I am sure it was a challenge for the Oireachtas and the Seanad Office to deal with the pace of the changes that were being sought. There were times when I could not keep up with the new initiatives and projects that Senator Daly was coming to us with, which shows the tenacity and work ethic he brought to that role, and working with Ms Grace Coyle in the office because, as always, it is a team effort. One person is the face of the operation but there is a huge team behind the scenes in terms of the people who work with you and your family and community. Senator Mark Daly did an incredible job. I have no doubt Senator Buttimer will put his stamp on the role of Cathaoirleach and will do the same fantastic job in the next two and a half years ahead.

I have not yet had an opportunity to talk about the transition. I acknowledge that Senator Doherty and I will be swapping roles in or around tomorrow. The process has not been done previously in terms in the level of change at Government level and within the Seanad. It has been fantastic to work with Senator Doherty over the past two and a half years. The House is very fortunate to have somebody with the level of experience of Senator Doherty to take over the reins at the time she did. Throw our minds back to two and a half years ago; we had nowhere to sit. We were a brand-new Seanad and dealing with extreme restrictions across our country. People were tense and scared. This was pre-vaccine. It was a different world. Senator Doherty led the Seanad through an incredibly challenging time, kept us all together and made sure we did find a place to sit and get our business done, which was not easy. I saw what she had to deal with during that period and I am not sure I would have handled it as well without the level of experience she brought to that role. I have had the benefit of being able to learn from her during the past two and a half years and the benefit of having time to get to know everybody else as well and understand what the role means, what is required and what will be required of me in taking over that job. I look forward to continuing to work in partnership with Senator Doherty and the Green Party. We worked very well with Senator Pauline O'Reilly and I am sure we will do the same with Senator Garvey. Senator Boyhan said it was a partnership over the past two and a half years. It was and will continue to be that.

I thank all the Senators, particularly the Fianna Fáil Senators for working with me as group leader. It has been an honour and privilege to have been given the opportunity to do that job. I thank my deputy leader Senator O'Loughlin and the most important job in the entire group, our Whip, Senator Gallagher. Senator Gallagher and Senator Kyne, who was Government Whip for the past two and a half years, will rotate as well. They have an extremely challenging and difficult job that requires all hands on deck. I thank Senator Gallagher for all his work.

I will finish by wishing the Cathaoirleach the very best of luck. I look forward to working with him from the Leader's office and to ensuring a smooth transition over the weekend at the end of this year and kicking off our new term in January. Comhghairdeas - enjoy this day. It is a very special day and congratulations.

Rebecca Moynihan (Labour)
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On behalf of the Labour Party group, I welcome Senator Buttimer to his position as Cathaoirleach. As Senator Chambers said, it is a very special day and a very special honour for someone like Senator Buttimer, who has played such a long role in public service. I welcome Conchobar, Mary, John, William watching at home and the Cathaoirleach's nieces and nephew, because it is not just the Cathaoirleach who is taking this role; it is part of his family.

Quoting both Judy Garland and Joni Mitchell is quite the departure on the part of an incoming speech from a Cathaoirleach but in that speech, he hit the ground running in terms of initiatives.Also, he clearly indicated the Seanad he will lead will be an outward-looking one that protects the voices of minorities, as we have always done, and recognises the challenges we will face as a country over the coming years. It is interesting that he mentioned we are 30 years on from the decriminalisation of homosexuality. While that seems like a long time, it is actually a relatively short time in a lifetime. There are still people, particularly men, living under the shadow of that criminalisation and its consequences. It just shows us how far we have come that we can elect a proud member of the LGBTI community who is sharing the occasion with his partner in life, who is also his legal partner. This is a big deal. I am delighted for the Cathaoirleach in this regard. We should recognise that the incoming Taoiseach and outgoing Tánaiste, Deputy Leo Varadkar, was in the Gallery to watch the occasion.

Commiserations to Senator Boyhan, who was an excellent alternative candidate. He embodies the strength of this House. His day will come, although not today. How he conducted himself, how he spoke and how the Cathaoirleach spoke about him show what a great candidate he was and how much respect he garners across the House.

I pay tribute to the outgoing Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, for his tribute to this House. He made the House outward-looking and internationalist in its approach, building relationships both in Ireland and overseas.

I welcome Senator Chambers to the position of Leader. She has very big boots to fill after Senator Doherty, who very much pushed the boundaries over recent years, including through Private Members' Bills, asserting the independence of the Seanad, pushing back against the Government and not taking any pushback from it. Senator Chambers will be more than able to do this. As an exceptional, competent parliamentarian, she will make an excellent Leader.

It has been a pleasure to watch Senators Doherty and Chambers work in tandem over the past two and a half years and to see the respect they both have for each other. I welcome Senator Chambers to the position she will hold for the next two and a half years.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I wish the Senator every success in the coming weeks or month.

Rebecca Moynihan (Labour)
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I will probably not be back for a while.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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We wish her every health and happiness with her impending arrival. I call Senator O'Loughlin.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. Very many congratulations to you.

It is said that a healthy democracy requires a decent society and also requires that we be honourable, generous, tolerant and respectful. The Cathaoirleach absolutely embodies all those qualities, as I know from the time in which I have got to know him and from stories I have heard about him from my brother-in-law, Jim Ryan, from Cork and, of course, my Fine Gael colleagues. He has the gravitas, presence and dignity to represent the Seanad at home and abroad. Added to that, he has great vision and a creative sense as to where the Seanad can go.

It is important that each Cathaoirleach have the opportunity to put an individual stamp on the role. The new Cathaoirleach outlined his respect for the Defence Forces. We all join him in honouring the memory of Private Rooney and all the Defence Forces' members who serve at home and abroad. The Cathaoirleach talked about disability, equality and inclusion. In this regard, the Seanad has a very strong record.

It is wonderful that the Cathaoirleach is joined here by his husband, Conchobar, family members and his extended family and friends, and also, of course, the Fine Gael family. I have no doubt about how proud they all are of him. I am not from his party but I am incredibly proud of him today.

I compliment the outgoing Cathaoirleach. I have been looking for words to describe Mark. He is irrepressible in terms of all he can do. He obviously has tremendous capacity and potential. During the week, I saw there was a Kerry motto, namely "Comhar, cabhair agus cáirdeas", meaning "Co-operation, help and friendship". These characteristics very much epitomised Senator Mark Daly's approach as Cathaoirleach. He has done an incredible job and I wish him well regarding what may happen in the next few hours or the future.

I pay tribute to my colleague, Senator Boyhan. Although he spoke about his roots in Dún Laoghaire, he is very proud of his Lilywhite roots in Narraghmore, County Kildare. We are very proud of him. He holds us all to account in a very proper way. He is such a proud Member of the Oireachtas and has such an incredible knowledge of Standing Orders. He has incredible empathy and expertise in the workings of the House. I thank him for putting his name forward. It was with regret that I could not vote for him but I assure him he most certainly had my number two.

I also congratulate the Leas-Chathaoirleach on his role over the past two and a half years. He has been an excellent colleague, both here and at the Council of Europe, together with Senators Garvey, Boylan and Gavan. I congratulate him on his time in the Chair. I wish Senator Garvey well on her becoming leader of the Green group.

Let me say a few words about Senator Doherty. I will have the opportunity to wish my colleagues, Senators Chambers and Gallagher, well the next time we are here. I heard the unfortunate term used last week, namely, that the Seanad was "Dáil-lite". I really did not think that was a good term at all. I can honestly say that the Dáil's loss was the Seanad's gain in having Senator Doherty as a Member and the Leader over the past two and a half years. Without a doubt, she is one of the finest parliamentarians of this generation. She is somebody I have looked up to, not just as a woman in politics but also as a parliamentarian. Her sense of empathy and understanding of where people are at in their lives came across very much in the past two and a half years and when she was in the Dáil. Senator Chambers pointed out that she has learned so much from Senator Doherty. It is an incredible legacy to have been able to work in tandem with someone and offer and share lessons. It is an incredibly generous thing for a politician to do. I thank Senator Doherty for the past two and a half years. We look forward to working with her in her role as Deputy Leader.

Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail)
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Today is very much the Cathaoirleach's day. It is his family's day. I congratulate him, Conchobar, his wider family and all his friends and colleagues. I was very fortunate to have worked very closely with him in the last Seanad. We had good times together. On my very first day he, having been around for some time before, was able to show me the ropes. He acted as a mentor to me, for which I thank him. He is definitely still someone I would go to for advice. I have done so. I hope his ear will still be open.

I am delighted that he has flagged his support for the Good Friday Agreement and stated he would make it one of his main objectives in his term. It is such a powerful treaty. I am glad the Seanad will be playing such a big role in its commemoration. I look forward to that.

I commiserate with Senator Boyhan. He would have been a great candidate. We have sat on committees and worked together. He is a great colleague around the Chamber.I also thank Senators Joe O'Reilly and Doherty for all their work. Senator Doherty will still be the leader of the Fine Gael group, so she is not going anywhere and will continue to work with the new Leader of the House. I thank Senator Mark Daly for all his work. He has made the position of Cathaoirleach his own and so many projects have come from it. I am sure he will follow through on those that need to be followed through and will come up with his own projects. I wish him the best of luck and offer him my congratulations.

Vincent P Martin (Green Party)
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I would like to be associated with the warm congratulatory remarks. I offer the heartiest of congratulations to the Cathaoirleach and extend my best wishes to all of those leaving their posts, including Senator Mark Daly but also Senator Doherty who will pass on her position to a wonderful replacement in Senator Chambers. I recognise the work she has been done in pushing the boundaries. She has been a breath of fresh air. Despite the obvious strictures applying to the position as leader of the Government in the House, she did not let that hold her back. I hope and I am confident that we will get more of that under the leadership of Senator Chambers.

I had the privilege of being at college with the Cathaoirleach. We had many illustrious past pupils, from the former Tánaiste John P. Wilson, to John Hume and Michael O'Kennedy and, in more recent times, Mary O'Rourke and Mary Hanafin. However, a younger group of contemporaries all gathered at the same time at that college. I am thinking of Brian Hayes, Deputy Catherine Martin, Deputy Joe McHugh, Senator Diarmuid Wilson and many others.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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And yourself.

Vincent P Martin (Green Party)
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And me. There is no truth in the rumour that we are seeking a refund for our education.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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It is all in Kildare, so.

Vincent P Martin (Green Party)
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It was a privilege and a most wonderful institute of education. A little-known fact, not fiction, about our new Cathaoirleach is that he once helped Father Ted, who never forgot his kindness. Father Ted was a seminarian at Maynooth and on one occasion there was an important football match. Father Ted wore his glasses during the game and unfortunately a lens fell out. There was a well-advertised session in the local pub immediately after the game and there was a stampede for sandwiches, coffees and beer, but one player stayed behind with Ted to try to find the lens that had fallen in the grass. It is a lovely tribute. It is so trivial it means something, just like all the smaller things in life. That one person missed the party and searched until dusk to try to find Ted's lens. Ted went on to become a priest. If you were in a madding crowd and you were ordering drinks with Ted, he would forbid me from saying, "Father Ted, what would you like to drink?" He would say, "Vincent, please say 'Father' or preferably 'Ted', but never 'Father Ted'".

Sometimes a person's actions, however small or trivial, when done away from the glare of publicity can be a window into the type of person they are. What the new Cathaoirleach brings is that he is a stayer and he has a sense of loyalty. There can be few more important traits in a human being than being a helper, than having a caring disposition and being there for people. If you support people in smaller things, then you are great with bigger things. It is in Senator Buttimer's nature to be a carer. By the way, as a postscript, the Senator was unsuccessful in finding the lens in the grass. While he was unsuccessful, it was not a failure.

Senator Boyhan was unsuccessful today, but he did not fail and perhaps there was a postponement of his success. Failure is when one does not try and being in fear of failure is haplessness. It is not always in the winning that one inspires but in the effort one makes. Failure is when one is afraid of trying. The new Cathaoirleach will never pull out of a tackle and he will always give it his best. He is not afraid at all of failure. He would probably say, “Bring it on”.

I was a proud pupil at college with the Cathaoirleach, although I was not in the seminary and did not have a calling, or if I did, I left the phone off the hook. Perhaps if I had a vocation, my dear late mother had it for me, but in green terms that was not sustainable. I know numerous people who studied for the priesthood for a few years and they found it to be an enriching experience that they did not regret. Our number one constitutional officer position in this House has now passed to very safe hands. I commend the outgoing Cathaoirleach and heartily congratulate the new Cathaoirleach who can be assured of all the co-operation and assistance of the Green Party-Comhaontas Glas grouping.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I think Father Teddy did better than either of us. Senator Martin’s calling was much more than just to the Bar. There was many a good night had in The Roost.

The next speaker is Senator Cassells and I welcome his parents to the Gallery. Mr. and Mrs. Cassells are very welcome.

Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail)
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It is my pleasure to speak as the Cathaoirleach takes this position. It is a very auspicious day for him and his family. I thank the Cathaoirleach for mentioning my family. I am delighted to welcome my mother and father, Olive and Oliver, to the Chamber today. As the Cathaoirleach has said, we are nothing without those behind us and it is a privilege for me to have my parents here today.

I thank the outgoing Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, who has been a reforming chairperson of this Chamber. The work that he did in so many areas, but in particular on the constitutional debates that took place in this Chamber, was hugely significant. I was privileged to be part of those debates. Members of the unionist community came to the Houses of the Oireachtas when they would not have even come to Dublin beforehand. They came here to speak about the constitutional issue. Those are the kinds of conversations that will change the narrative and chart a different direction for this country. I pay tribute to Senator Mary Daly who performed the role of Cathaoirleach with dignity. I also thank Grace in his office. Well done to them both.

I thank the outgoing Leader, Senator Doherty, with whom I served on Meath County Council, in Dáil Éireann and now in Seanad Éireann. She was an exemplary Leader. I also thank and congratulate the Leas-Chathaoirleach, Senator Joe O’Reilly, who is a fellow north-east man. I also thank Senator Seán Kyne. Senator Chambers has described his job as one of the toughest in here. Yesterday, in his last day in the job, his hair was starting to fall out as the gap in the votes started to get tighter and tighter and he learned that three of the Government Members were Mountjoy Prison, namely, Senators Chambers, McGahon and I. We successfully conducted a breakout of Mountjoy to ensure we got back here for the final vótáil. I am sure he will not miss that part of the job.

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his election. As he mentioned, we became friends on a very long day in the summer of 2007 when fate and our surnames placed us beside each other on the count for the labour panel. I met his dad for the first time that day. A life-long friendship has continued between the Cathaoirleach and me through a love of life, sport and politics. That is some achievement given that I am from Meath and he is from Cork, which can sometimes lead to rows when we discuss GAA, but more particularly so because I am from Fianna Fáil and the Cathaoirleach is from Fine Gael, which leads to more rows between us. However, that friendship has endured. I know it will be tested now that the Cathaoirleach may have occasion to ring the bell when I get into full flow on the floor of the Chamber, but I am sure I will behave. The Cathaoirleach is an exemplary parliamentarian.He is a republican, an Irishman and my friend. I am delighted for him and for his husband, Conchobar, his brother, John, and his sister, Mary, who are all here today. The Cathaoirleach had a tough start to the year with the loss of his dad, Jerry Sr. I am sure he and the Cathoirleach's mum are looking down today and are very proud of their son. I congratulate the Cathaoirleach.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his election as the 25th holder of the office. He referred to his parents in his remarks. That brings to mind the observation often made by the former President, Mary McAleese, that those who drink the water should never forget those who dug the well. The Cathaoirleach's parents instilled in him and his brother a love of public service. The role of Cathaoirleach is a challenging job that will require the new holder of the office to take a lot of time away from home, his husband and all his nieces and nephews. It is important on this, the Cathaoirleach's great day, that he acknowledge his family and recall his parents and the love of service they instilled in him.

While we are keeping in mind those who dug the well, it is important to acknowledge the father of the House and the great service he has given. We are all drinking from the well he dug for so many minority communities in this country. One hundred years on from the establishment of this House, he is one of the people who has given reality to the idea of minority voices leading to major changes, as has the Cathaoirleach. People in this House are champions of those causes.

The Cathaoirleach's outline of the programme and initiatives he will undertake in his term in office included a reference to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Again we recall those who dug the well and ensured we can now enjoy the peace we have. There are people alive in Ireland today because of that agreement and I know the Cathaoirleach will do a great job in honouring the people who participated in making it possible. This House and people who served in it were part of that process, many of them working quietly behind the scenes. We can do a great job, under the Cathaoirleach's leadership, in acknowledging that work.

The Cathaoirleach also referred to an initiative to mark the 30th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland. The effort to bring equal rights to all our citizens is something that eludes us still in many ways. The disabilities initiative is welcome because it will allows us to open the door of the House to that particular minority community. We must work with, and open our door to, all the different communities and organisations. As the Cathaoirleach takes up his role, I know he has a great few years ahead.

It is important to thank, as the Cathaoirleach has done, the outgoing Leader of the House, who has done a great job, and the outgoing Government Whip, Senator Kyne, who had a challenging job, not least in organising a prison breakout, which must be his highest achievement so far. I congratulate the incoming Leader, Senator Chambers, and the incoming Government Whip, who I know will do a fantastic job. We will have an opportunity later to say more about them.

I thank Senator Boyhan for putting his name forward for election as Cathaoirleach. He is a great colleague and parliamentarian who has been extraordinary in his holding of people to account, especially the Government. It is the job of the Opposition to hold the Government to account in order to make the changes that are necessary in the legislation that comes through this House for the benefit all the citizens of the State.

I thank the outgoing Leas-Chathaoirleach, who was a great friend and colleague over the past couple of years.

I again congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his election. I know he will do a fantastic job.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Mark Daly again for all he has done over the past two and a half years. I wish him luck this afternoon. A contest may not happen; we do not yet know. The next speaker is an Seanadóir Maria Byrne. I have a list of speakers here as long as my arm. I ask Members to bear with me.

Róisín Garvey (Green Party)
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Welcome to the job, a Chathaoirligh.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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There is no order for the speakers today. Order will be restored on the first Order of Business in the new year.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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Today is the Cathaoirleach's day and I congratulate him on it. I am delighted for him. I knew him long before he was elected to Cork City Council in 2004. We worked together as Fine Gael colleagues before that and we have been very good friends down through the years. I am delighted his family members are here today, including Conchobar, John and Mary, as well as his supporters and friends. I wish him all the best in office.

I thank the outgoing Leader and Deputy Leader, who are swapping roles, and the outgoing Cathaoirleach and Leas-Chathaoirleach for the very fine job they did. I also thank our outgoing Whip, Senator Kyne, and the incoming Whip, Senator Gallagher. The Government Whip does important work in ensuring the smooth running of the Seanad, as the outgoing Whip has done over the past two and a half years.

It would be fantastic if the Cathaoirleach's late father, Jerry Sr., could have been here today. I know how much that would have meant to the Cathaoirleach. Jerry Sr. is certainly looking down on him in spirit. I am sure the Cathaoirleach will be a very fair and impartial chairperson and fair to everybody right across the House. I wish him the very best in his endeavours. We face a challenging period in the two-plus years remaining to this Seanad. I assure the Cathaoirleach of my full co-operation. I wish him a very happy first Christmas as Cathaoirleach.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Byrne.

Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent)
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I congratulate all those who are rotating roles, namely, Senators Pauline O'Reilly, Garvey, Kyne and Gallagher, as well as the Leader and Deputy Leader. I acknowledge in particular the outgoing Leader, Senator Doherty, who spoke beautifully on the Order of Business yesterday about her experience of coming into the Seanad and what it means to her. During her period as Leader, we have faced very particular challenges and I have seen how much she cares about this House. Indeed, she spoke about moving from the somewhat adversarial framework of the other House to the more collaborative way of working here in the Seanad, wherein we look for what is possible to do. However, she has retained the fighting spirit when necessary, not within the Chamber but for the Chamber and for the importance, for example, of the Seanad's role in legislative scrutiny. I know the new Leader, Senator Chambers, will bring to the role the same care, commitment and understanding of the seriousness of the work we do. I also know she will bring the international perspective she has often brought to bear on issues being discussed in the House. I look forward to that.

I was proud to nominate Senator Boyhan as Cathaoirleach. I have already said so many nice things about him that I cannot say any more. I rarely say so many nice things in a row. However, I meant every one of them and they are absolutely true of Senator Boyhan as a parliamentarian. I am sure he will perform the same roles from the Opposition benches of vigilance, meeting challenges and constructive engagement, as I outlined.

I have spoken about the achievements of Senator Mark Daly as Cathaoirleach. He was transformative and has raised the bar on the role. He made it clear his focus was not solely on what happens here in the Chamber but also on being an advocate and champion for the Seanad within the Oireachtas and within wider society. The possibilities in that regard are huge.

I was moved and excited to hear the new Cathaoirleach, whom I congratulate warmly, talking about those possibilities. The themes he has outlined are interesting, important and exciting. I look forward immensely to engaging with him on them. They cut to the core of the importance of minority voices, the role the Seanad plays in the wider project that is Ireland and the role we all play as parliamentarians in the wider global project of democracy. The idea that people make decisions collectively through parliamentary process, for the common good, is something we should never take for granted and is a right that has been hard-won not just in Ireland but throughout the world.The themes the Cathaoirleach outlined are exciting, interesting and important. I very much look forward to engaging with him.

I also note that as leader of my group in the previous Oireachtas, I had the privilege of working with the Cathaoirleach when he was Leader. He is somebody who is always looking to how we can move forward, work together and be constructive, and allow space on the schedule for important policy formation discussions and proper legislative scrutiny, which is so important to what we do in the House. I know he will continue in that vein even more so in his new role. I also know, and for me it comes back to this, that he is passionate about the Seanad and cares about what we do here. He will bring that care and personal warmth to everything he does. I warmly congratulate him and his family. I wish him a very enjoyable holiday before the immense amount of work that will be waiting for him when he returns in January.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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It is with a huge sense of pride and joy that I address Senator Buttimer as Cathaoirleach. It is an enormous pleasure for me to do that as he is one of my closest friends, not just politically but in life. He is somebody I speak to every day of the week irrespective of whether it is good or bad. If anyone wonders about his passion, and many people have spoken about passion, they would not want to sit beside him in Semple Stadium when Clare are ahead by a point in injury time against Cork. The Cathaoirleach's passion comes out in droves when it comes to GAA matches. He is a passionate GAA person, a passionate Cork person, a passionate Irish person and a passionate Senator. He has already made an immense contribution in his career to Irish political life. We all know that. That will continue in his new role as Cathaoirleach.

Senator Norris was elected in 1987 and the decriminalisation of homosexuality happened as a result of his efforts. It has taken until 2022 for an openly gay person to sit in the Cathaoirleach's chair. We can now say that the Seanad is fully, in every sense of the word, a place where people from diverse backgrounds can prosper and have their voices heard, not just by individuals but by the institution itself. The Seanad as an institution, following today's election of Senator Buttimer as Cathaoirleach, is a home for minority, diverse voices. Please God, at some stage in the not-too-distant future, we will see somebody with a disability become Cathaoirleach and a member of the Council of State in that capacity. The projects Senator Buttimer outlined in his maiden speech as Cathaoirleach are ones he is passionate about. I have spoken to him at length regarding a number of them. I know he will hit the ground running with those projects as soon as we come back in January.

I ask the Cathaoirleach to enjoy his position. He has waited a long time for it. I agree with those who said the timing is right. I believe that is the case. The Cathaoirleach's personality, collegiality, ability to transcend all parties and none, and his ability to attract people to him will make him a unique Cathaoirleach. This is also a proud day for his husband, Conchobar. I have no doubt that the Cathaoirleach's father and mother are above in heaven looking down with enormous pride.

Róisín Garvey (Green Party)
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Oireann an Cathaoir duit. The Chair is a good look; it suits the Cathaoirleach. I look forward to working with him. I remember coming in on, I think, my second day in the Seanad. I had no idea what I had let myself in for. I had no clue. Senator Buttimer and I discovered we had a mutual friend in common in Paul Linehan, the lead singer of the Frank and Walters, which was a very good sign because they are a brilliant band. If there are people in the Seanad who have good taste in music, I will cope. That was a very good first mark and I knew we would get on from the word go.

I have a few things to say about Senator Mark Daly because he was Cathaoirleach as long as I have been a Senator. It was the same thing, in that in the first few days, I felt like I was running around like a headless chicken. I had no idea what was going on. Every time I met Mark, he just calmed me down. He did not have to say anything. Just by being in his presence, he calmed me down and I knew I would figure it out. He empowered me to trust I would get there in the end. I really appreciate that.

I will acknowledge a few things the previous Cathaoirleach achieved. There were many, but a few stood out for me. One was the recognition of Irish Sign Language as an official language in Ireland. That meant a huge amount to the deaf community in Ireland. Senator Mark Daly should be very proud of that. It would not have happened without him. The day all the young people were in the Chamber was momentous. We have to get out of the way of young people at this stage. It was so important and I hope we do it again. Comhairle na nÓg, the National Youth Council of Ireland and many good representatives were present. It took place on a Friday and not many Senators were in the House, which was disappointing. However, I would like to do it again, and get young people in to listen to them. We need to get out of their way, in some ways. They are what we need to do. It was really good that Senator Mark Daly brought them in that day and I appreciated it. It was the day I broke my foot. I stayed here working late, but it was worth it. It was a great day and the House needs to do more of that. The Seanad 100 centenary celebrations were remarkable. Not only was it an honour to have Senator Norris and former Senator Mary Robinson come in, which was huge for me, it showed how far we had come as a country.

I was raised in a household of Fianna Fáilers and we did not grow up with a great love for Fine Gael. With this coalition, we have proved that Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and - who would have thought it - the Green Party can all work together. We have done remarkable work in the past two and half years, despite the Ukrainian crisis, Brexit, Covid and all the stuff that gets thrown at us by the media, which twist little personal things into huge deals while we are busy working very hard. We have managed to block out the noise, stay focused and get many good things done. I was not sure how it would work out, to be honest. It is good that we have the Opposition to challenge us, although it would be very helpful if it focused on solutions. I hope we can do that in this House.

As for me being the leader of the Green Party in the Seanad, as a stone picking, turf cutting, cow and goat milking, rural, single mother, it is good to dispel myths. There are many myths around the Green Party, including that we are Fine Gael on bikes and are upper-middle class Dublin people. I am the complete antithesis of that. The fact is we can work together with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, hand in hand, doing all we can as a rural voice that is sincere, not populist and in denial about climate change and the challenges that rural Ireland faces. The number one thing is that until all rural representatives accept the phenomenal adaptation we need to do in rural Ireland to cope with climate change, we are doing rural people a disservice. We cannot rely on the Child of Prague or business as usual around agriculture. That is just not fit for purpose. It has not suited many people in rural Ireland for a long time. We have to take it very seriously. I look forward to bringing that to the fore.

I have seen the farms that were flooded and the people trapped in homes as a result. We need better for rural Ireland. To get that, we need rural voices that will be sincere and will step up to the mark and the challenge. People in rural Ireland are the majority of the population. We feed the people but we need to have honest debates. The time for populist rhetoric around the Green Party hating rural Ireland, or keeping going with expanding everything and business as usual, will not serve us in rural Ireland. We will be in serious trouble. I look forward to bringing those issues to the fore in my new role. I do not even know what the acronym is for the group on climate change that will meet once a month, but I look forward to getting stuck in. A friend of mine said, "effective chaos", but chaotic effectiveness is what I hope to bring to the Seanad.

Regina Doherty (Fine Gael)
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It gives me great pleasure to use the words, "A Chathaoirligh, Jerry Buttimer". We started yesterday with a sense of giddiness in this House. Quite a large number of Senators sit on the Joint Committee on Gender Equality.We launched our Unfinished Democracy report with great hope yesterday when there was an atmosphere filled with hope. I think it has been replaced today by love. I think everyone can feel the love with all the lovely things that have been said about everybody, but particularly about the Cathaoirleach. His energy for the passions in his life over the length of time I have known him are not just in politics but extend to his sport, his county, his politics and his family. It is an enormous capacity that he has. The themes he described on which he will work in the coming years are incredibly supportive of people - normal people - and the difficulties they have in their normal, everyday lives. That is what makes him so effective. He is actually just a normal person who can see and feel what is happening on the ground. I cannot wait to support him, not only in the celebrations around and advancement of the Good Friday Agreement but also in the celebration of our European Union membership and all the wonderful initiatives in Ireland in the past 50 years because of that. Most important of these is the fight for equality. We have members of the LGBT community, of which the Cathaoirleach is very proud, who stand up in this Chamber week in, week out, but there are also members of other minority groups, such as people with disabilities, people who are disenfranchised and even still, to an extent, women, for whom we have an awful lot to do. How much for women may depend on the 41 recommendations in our report published yesterday. We have an awful lot to do. We talk about how wonderful this country is but there is still an awful lot of work to do. I know the Cathaoirleach will bring that energy to this House over the next couple of years.

I said yesterday that this House is incredibly special, not least because of the people who are here but also because of the space we have to be as thoughtful and as authentic as most people in this House are. The opportunity to develop themes is probably something that is not afforded to any other committee or forum in these Houses, so we are very fortunate in that. I wish the Cathaoirleach continued success. The rest of his life is only beginning today.

On behalf of the Fine Gael group, I thank the outgoing Cathaoirleach, Senator Daly, most sincerely. While I said it yesterday, I do not think it can be repeated enough. Senator O’Loughlin called him irascible yesterday. He is absolutely tireless. Look at his achievements. People have spoken about stretching the boundaries. Take Seanad 100 and, in particular, the amount of art that has adorned the walls in recent months. When we first met here two and a half years ago, pictures of ladies - former politicians - were few and far between in this House. Now we have hundreds. While they might be small, they are here and they are here to stay. That is Senator Daly’s legacy. As a woman and a female politician, I thank him for that, because if our younger people cannot see what they want to be, it makes it much more difficult for them. I congratulate Senator Daly and wish him continued success.

My colleague, Senator Joe O’Reilly was incredibly fair and excellent in the Chair. I can say that because I spent many hours here fighting with him. He is somebody for whom I have great admiration and respect as a parliamentarian. On behalf of the Fine Gael group, I thank him for everything he has done for us.

Then there is my colleague, Senator Seán Kyne. With the majority we have, you would think we should not have difficulties making sure we have people in the Chamber, but people are complicated. Senator Kyne has done an incredible job along with Senator Gallagher in the recent years. I wish Senator Kyne continued success and wish Senator Gallagher success for whenever we come back in January. He will have all our support.

My first interaction with Senator Chambers was about ten years ago when she was in the front row of the audience at a panel on which I was sitting with Deputy Mary Lou McDonald and other politicians. By God did she cut the legs from under me from the audience and I came away feeling very bruised. Over the years, I have seen her as one of the most authentic, committed and determined women, not just in Fianna Fáil but in Irish politics. I am particularly minded of an interview both of us did together after the election where I lost and so did she. I was incredibly bruised and decided that, at the age I was at, it was time for me to do something else, but Senator Chambers was as determined a woman as ever. Senator Martin said earlier that failure is only when you stop trying. Senator Chambers has never stopped trying. She is someone whom I genuinely admire and I very much look forward to her being the Leader for the coming years and learning as much from her. She really is exemplary and one of the best people in this House. I wish her the very best of luck.

I will finish by saying happy Christmas. I hope we all have a fabulous break because I am absolutely knackered. Happy Christmas. I hope Santy comes to everybody.

Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)
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I promise I will be very brief. I appreciate there is other business to be attended to before the day is out. I start by congratulating the Cathaoirleach on his elevation to the role of Chair. I know he will bring sheer passion to that role. I remember in the previous term I was at the receiving end of that passion on many occasions. It is a very proud day for the Cathaoirleach and all his family. Good days like this do not come every week, as well he knows. As soon as the good days come, the bad days also come, so it is important that when the good days come, we squeeze every last ounce out of them. I am sure that, over the Christmas period, the Cathaoirleach will reflect on what he has achieved and will feel rightly proud. I wish him every success.

Senator Boyhan had the courage to put his name forward and make a competition of it. I salute him for that and I congratulate those who voted for him as well. Beidh lá eile, I have no doubt. His ship will sail again.

What can I say to the former Cathaoirleach, Senator Daly, that has not been said already by many others? While many talk about reforming this House, Mark went about just doing it. The initiatives he introduced he did with vigour and professionalism. He can be very proud of the two and a half years he has spent in that Chair. He has left a legacy that I have no doubt will be followed by the Cathaoirleach. I know Senator Daly will be the first to say that, with regard to the pace at which he worked in the office, nothing would have been achieved except for those around him and for Martin Groves and Bridget Doody and the team that had to keep pace with him. I am sure they are looking forward to the Christmas break to recharge the batteries. I want to say "Well done" to Senator Daly and continued success, whatever the future may bring.

Then there is the Leader. I did not know Senator Doherty well until I was elected to the House. One thing that always comes to mind with her is that anything Senator Doherty has to say, she will say it through the front door. There is no back door with Senator Doherty and that is a great quality. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with her over the past two and a half years and I look forward to continuing to do so.

I thank my party’s leader in the Seanad, Senator Chambers, for the professional manner in which she has conducted her business. I have no doubt she will be as successful in the role as Senator Doherty has been in recent years.

Senator Pauline O’Reilly has stepped down or aside from her position for now. I thank her for her professionalism, courtesy and friendship over recent years. She was a pleasure to deal with in a very calm and sensitive way. I wish her well. I do not know if the word "calm" is apt for Senator Garvey, who replaces her.

Vincent P Martin (Green Party)
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Dynamic.

Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)
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Yes, "dynamic" is the word. I thank Senator Martin. The word "dynamic" springs to mind. I look forward to seeing that dynamism for the next two and a half years as well.

I pay tribute to the gentleman I have worked closely with over the past two and a half years, namely, Senator Kyne, for the very calm, assured and controlled manner in which he goes about his business. He is a gentleman through and through. I cannot mention Senator Kyne without mentioning a certain lady who works in the office with him, and all the Fine Gael Members will know exactly who I am talking about there when I mention the name Deirdre Chambers. If Deirdre Chambers was a soccer player, I would be breaking the transfer record tomorrow morning to bring her across to this side. Alas, that is not the case.

My constituency colleague, Senator Joe O'Reilly, is an out and out gentleman. I always enjoy his wit and sense of humour. There is always a good laugh when he is around. I wish him continued success.

I wish Martin Groves, Bridget Doody, all the staff who work in the Seanad office, and all my colleagues here in the Seanad a very happy Christmas and a healthy new year. I look forward to dealing with them again after Christmas.

Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)
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It is a pleasure for me, politically and personally, to address Senator Buttimer as Cathaoirleach. He is well entitled to aspire to the position. He will be a very popular and successful Cathaoirleach. He had a bit of hard luck about two and a half years ago. I always admire people in politics who take it on the chin and get on with the work when little setbacks some. From my experience they always get their reward later on. That is a case in point today.

We have been friends for a good while. We were both elected to the House in the same election, in 2007. The chain was referred to. I was the fellow who was in the other half of that epic count which went on until all hours of the morning and I eventually beat Shane by 0.8 of a vote for the last seat. I have been great friends with Shane ever since and I have been very good friends with the Cathaoirleach. When I look at him, I see qualities I like and admire. I know he is a man of intellect and high intelligence, which is important in the position he holds. I know also he is a man of great integrity, which is equally important. Above all, he is a man of courage. He has shown that courage on a number of occasions, but none more so than when he went public on his circumstances and came out in the open. Like Senator Norris before him, he has given untold numbers of young people the courage to do likewise and to make sense of their lives. For that I applaud him very much. He also has a good sense of humour, and that is something he will want badly.

There are only two things wrong with the Cathaoirleach. Naturally, the first is that he is from Cork; he cannot help that. We cannot all be born lucky. The second is that he is also on the labour panel, which happens to be my panel. He has been an inveterate poll topper on the panel and feeds out of the same Munster area as I do. I do reasonably well out of Fine Gael transfers. I am Fine Gael-friendly, but I would get many more if the Cathaoirleach could switch panels the next time. As it happens, I am not going next time.

I also join in the tributes to my county colleague, Senator Mark Daly. He has been a tremendous Cathaoirleach. He brought a whole new dimension to the job with energetic, creative thinking outside the box. I saw him at close quarters on the Oireachtas commission on which he sat because he was Cathaoirleach of the Seanad. Senator Buttimer, as Cathaoirleach, will take that position. Senator Daly put a huge amount of work into that behind the scenes. It seems he is now going to be Leas-Chathaoirleach, so I will be overshadowed in Kerry for yet another term. More luck to Mark. He managed to do an awful lot in two-and-a-half years. Covid-19 was a big setback for him. If there had been no Covid, I imagine he would have done the divil altogether. We would not have seen much of him, he would have been in New York or Washington so often.

I also thank Senator Joe O'Reilly, who is one of the gentlemen of the Seanad. Everybody likes him and I am glad he got his term as Leas-Chathaoirleach. In the changeover of the leadership guard we are fortunate that both the Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil teams are highly professional, namely, Senators Doherty, Kyne, Chambers and Gallagher. It does not matter to me which of them is in charge because they will work together seamlessly, as they have done up to now. They have done a good job.

I neglected to mention the Cathaoirleach's husband and family. It is wonderful to see them here. I hope they have an enjoyable day afterwards.

Mar fhocal scoir, it occurs to me that today is an important and historic day. It is the first instalment of what I think is now going to be a smooth transition from one half of the Government to the other. It is groundbreaking. It is important it goes right and certainly we got it right here in the Seanad. It is an endorsement of the Government also, because two and a half years ago, when the figures did not really add up for anybody, some parties took to the hills and were not available to deal about government. Bhí said as láthair. The Green Party, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil knuckled down and formed a Government. I am proud to say I am supporting that Government. They are doing a right good job and we are only halfway there. We have been watching on television recently the excellent series of programmes about the Civil War and how that terrible tragedy divided us. Is it not a great sign of our political maturity that we can come together here for the good of the country at a time when we have extremes on the left and on the right and populism all over the place? It is very important that parties like the Green Party, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael work together. If they continue to do so, the centre will hold. The centre has to hold.

Regina Doherty (Fine Gael)
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I propose we take a quick five-minute recess to stretch our legs and then we can come back and finish the speeches.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I congratulate the Cathaoirleach as a colleague and a good friend. We happen to share the same hotel and he has been great company over the years. He has had some tough days also. I acknowledge and congratulate Senator Buttimer's husband, Conchobar, and all of the members of his family. I also acknowledge his late parents. There is one member of his extended family that Senator Buttimer did not mention. This is a very important member of his household and that is his cat, Brexit. I am sure she will give him lots of love over the weekend when she understands the new position he has.

I will take this opportunity to congratulate my colleague, Senator Joe O'Reilly, who has done an exceptional job as Leas-Chathaoirleach. As others have said, Senator O'Reilly is a gentleman and a very sociable person. I wish him well.

I acknowledge the outgoing Leader. Senator Doherty has done an exemplary job on scrutinising legislation, particularly the aviation Bill in which she and the Cathaoirleach took a particular interest. This is what the Seanad is about. It is about ensuring issues and concerns are raised and pursued and changes are made. I acknowledge Senator Doherty on her role as Leader. She has been exceptional. She is a very brave individual and I wish her well as the incoming Deputy Leader. I welcome and congratulate Senator Chambers on taking up the position of Leader. As others have said she is a very formidable individual and someone I do not believe will take any hostages. She will do a good job and use the platform of ordering business to listen to the concerns raised on the Order of Business about issues we would like to see debated. I know there is a long list.

I congratulate the outgoing Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly. He is the only Cathaoirleach I have experienced as a Member of the House. While I am familiar with the work of others, I know Senator Daly did the job with enthusiasm and zeal. Despite being impeded to a degree by Brexit and the challenges it forced on the Houses and society he has done a remarkable job.

I thank everybody for their courtesy during my time as Government Chief Whip. I wish Senator Gallagher well in the role. As we come to the second half of the election cycle, and with society recently opening up after Covid, people have started to wander more and have not always been here. There can be scary moments in the job of Chief Whip. I do not envy Senator Gallagher's task in the second half of the term. I know he will do a good job in ensuring the Government continues to win votes in the Chamber, where we have substantial majority.

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach, Conchobar, and his family and wish a happy Christmas to all.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Míle buíochas.

Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
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I congratulate our Cathaoirleach, Senator Buttimer, Conchobar, and all his family. They are so proud of him and everything he has achieved. Today is a dream of a lifetime. The Cathaoirleach should take every moment and enjoy it. The Cathaoirleach has said it is a privilege to be in the House and that each and every day he walks in is a privilege. We have heard how much this means to him in his speech and means a lot to us to hear that. I know he will shape the role. In his opening speech, the Cathaoirleach spoke about engaging MLAs in Northern Ireland, it being 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement, celebrating ground-breaking legislation and recognising Billy Fox, along with many other achievements he has in his plan.

I was in awe on my first day at the calibre of people here. I still am. Every day I am learning. I thank the outgoing Leas-Chathaoirleach, Senator Joe O'Reilly, for his eloquence, poetry and language. I thank the former Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, on his achievements for the Seanad 100 centenary commemoration. I have learned so much from Senator Doherty's taking of the Order of Business. She is so articulate and able to draw people together and draw together many different perspectives. I welcome our new Leader, Senator Chambers. Our outgoing Chief Whip, Senator Kyne, kept us all in line in recent times. He is so considerate and measured. He works with a very strong Mayo lady, Deirdre Chambers. Senator Pauline O'Reilly is a fellow Galway representative. She has given a lot as the Green Party leader in the Seanad. I welcome Senator Garvey from Inagh, County Clare, as the new Green Party Leader.

What wonderful tributes we are hearing for the Cathaoirleach today. I have heard many new stories that I did not know before. Even as a recent new Senator, we have become friends and it means a lot. He has always given time and tips along the way. He is well known not only in Cork but also in Galway, Roscommon and Ballinasloe. I ask him to remember the great people in our towns, as well as our cities throughout Ireland. He has heart and passion. He has a heart big enough for the country. I wish him the best from the west of Ireland. I want him to take all of his energy and fly high. I want him to exceed all expectations. As the Saw Doctors sang, "To win just once would be enough".

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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Today, I am thinking of all of the councillors and former councillors throughout the country, including my father, who are watching television today. They will be saying what most councillors say when Senators excel in their role, which is that they would not be there only for their votes. Many councillors are thinking this today. It is their wisdom in voting for Senator Buttimer to be a Senator that has given him the position today more so than us voting for him.

I wish the Cathaoirleach well. When he spoke, it was about family. We both know each other's families very well. We are very proud of our fathers and mothers and our wider families. I know his parents would be very proud of him today. Our families are quite similar. I looked at the Gallery after the Cathaoirleach was successfully appointed to the position. His family headed off to celebrate while he is still working. Family support is key and I acknowledge this.

I had the privilege of spending an awful lot of time in the constituency of Cork South-Central and I learned several things. One was that Senator Buttimer is much loved by the people there. This is the case for himself and his brother John in local elections as well as in general elections and in the wide Fine Gael community. He, Deputy Coveney and Deirdre Clune showed how working together can benefit the party and all representatives of the area. We often see in politics, especially in big political parties, there can sometimes be challenges between people from the same party in the same constituency. I never once saw that between any of the Oireachtas Members in Cork South-Central. This is a testament to the Cathaoirleach and to them.

The Cathaoirleach spoke about many topics he wants to focus on. It was a very thoughtful speech. I ask him to continue the work done by Senator Mark Daly on Ukraine. Senator Mark Daly has done many things in the past two years and has had achievements. The House has had world renown and recognition for some of what he did. Only now are other countries following through on motions this House passed. Last week the European Parliament did what we did months ago. I ask the Cathaoirleach to continue this support. I know he will.

I acknowledge Senators Doherty and Chambers in their roles and the switchover. It is like they are besties. They are like Deputies Donohoe and Michael McGrath in many ways. It is very important to have a good working relationship and I wish them well. I also acknowledge Senator Joe O'Reilly in his position over the past two years as Leas-Chathaoirleach. He has a wonderful personality. There is a very funny side to him but also a very serious side. He has played a key role in the past two years. I also acknowledge Senator Pauline O'Reilly in her role as leader of the Green Party and wish Senator Garvey well in taking up the role. I thank and acknowledge Senator Kyne. In his position as Chief Whip he had a 100% record over the last two and a half years. However, his record was touch and go on the last day because I was at home feeding my one-week-old child while looking at the votes. I thought to myself that the voting was close but that I could not make it back so could not vote. Senator Robbie Gallagher is up against it in terms of keeping that 100% record going.

My family and I wish to acknowledge that today is Senator Buttimer's day. We, and an awful lot of people in County Tipperary, hold him in such high regard and are as delighted as we all are here for him.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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We wish the Senator well with his new arrival and hope that he will have no sleepless nights from now on.

Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael)
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On behalf of myself and the members of Fine Gael in County Longford, and my fellow councillor colleagues on Longford County Council, I congratulate Senator Buttimer on attaining the position of Cathaoirleach. His appointment is more than well deserved.

The first time I met Senator Buttimer was probably the 2011 Seanad election. I recall that we had a deep discussion and realised that we shared a deep love for the GAA. Like him, I have a similar involvement in under age GAA and I have been involved at county board level, etc. That love shone through the very first time I met him. As I have discovered over the years, he is an accomplished parliamentarian. He has a love of this House, similar to our former Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, and will bring it to another level. I know that that is something that Senator Buttimer will look to continue to do. I am delighted that he has named a number of objectives and areas that he will highlight during his term such as the Good Friday Agreement and the issues that concern people with disabilities. Every day that we walk in here we can read the Proclamation that we must cherish all the children of this country equally. We, as a country, need to cherish all the children equally and make sure that we put supports in place. One of the first letters that the Cathaoirleach will get into his office will be from me as I am Chair of the Joint Committee on Autism stating that my committee seeks a day in the Seanad for parents from around the country thus allowing them to put forward their views on the changes that we need to make to ensure that autistic children are cherished equally.

I wish the Cathaoirleach, his husband, Conchobar, and his family well in the role of Cathaoirleach. Senator Buttimer is more than capable of doing the job and it is an honour to have worked with him as a Senator. I look forward to working with him over his term as Cathaoirleach.

I wish to mention Senator Mark Daly. A lot has been said in praise of him. He has done a fantastic job as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann. He brought the Seanad to the fore and out of its shell where it was for a long number of years. Seanad Éireann is the Upper House and perhaps some people in the Lower House look down on the Seanad but I believe that situation has changed over the last couple of years due to the fantastic debates held here. Senator Mark Daly has really changed things and brought people into this House, which is appropriate as this is the people's House. He brought in people with various diverse opinions into the Seanad and I look forward to seeing that work continue. I thank him for his work.

Senator Mark Daly has done a fantastic amount of work on Irish-American links, which are important to keep because America has stood by us. I wish to mention the Good Friday Agreement and the role that America played in the lead up to that agreement. It is important that we maintain our strong links with the United States and Senator Mark Daly has done a massive amount of work on that. I wish him well in his new role as Leas-Chathaoirleach over the next couple of years.

As people in Longford say, and I presume people everywhere are familiar with the saying, blessed is man among women. We are probably the most unique Parliament in the world as we have three female party leaders. I think that we have been blessed by the quality of those leaders and I refer to Senators Lisa Chambers, Regina Doherty and Pauline O'Reilly. It is an honour for me to serve with them in here. They are fantastic parliamentarians. Senator Doherty has done a fantastic job as Leader and been a great support to me when dealing with any of my concerns or issues. I am delighted to have worked with Senator Pauline O'Reilly and I look forward to working with Senator Chambers over the next number of years. We are blessed, as a Parliament, to have three exceptional leaders and I wish Senator Garvey well.

I wish to mention our party leader, Senator Seán Kyne, and compliment him on the work that he has done. I see Deirdre Chambers in the Visitors Gallery. She keeps an eye on us to make sure that we are here for votes and I am sure she was sweating yesterday evening during the vote. I sincerely hope that I did not get a speeding ticket when I drove home to an event last night after proceedings here. As Senators it is our job to work for the Government and make sure that we bring in the legislation needed to improve society.

I feel honoured to come in here every day. My chest fills with pride every time I walk in the front door. That feeling is made better by the fact that I work with honourable people who work hard on behalf of all of their communities, and I include Senator Boyhan in that. I have gotten to know Senator Boyhan over the last number of years and I have realised that he is an exceptional parliamentarian. I know that he works very hard and wants to make Seanad Éireann a better place. I look forward to working with everybody collectively in their new roles in the term ahead. I reiterate that we are here to bring in legislation that improves the quality of life for all of our citizens.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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It is wonderful for me to address Senator Buttimer as Cathaoirleach. I wish him and his husband, Conchobar, all the best. I am sure that it is a very proud moment for them both.

Senator Boyhan was one of the first people that I came to know when I walked in these doors. He is leader of the Independent group of which I am a member. Today was not his day to shine but he has shone every day for me since I came into these Houses. The adversity that he has overcome to sit in these seats in Seanad Éireann has been spectacular. He deserved to have that moment today in the sun. I congratulate him on challenging here today.

Senator Joe O'Reilly is the outgoing Leas-Chathaoirleach. He is a Cavan man and he has been very lenient with me at times when he was in the Chair. I thank him most sincerely for his encouragement and wit that he brings to this Chamber. I also thank him for all of the great work that he has done for his constituency in Cavan. He is very well liked and loved by many in County Cavan.

I thank Senator Mark Daly. He is probably one of the finest Senators that I have ever met and I say that with my hand on my heart. He is a wonderful ambassador for the Seanad both nationally and internationally. I thank him most sincerely for making my role here very easy over the last couple of years. He is a poll topper among the county councillors in this country. He is a poll topper for a reason and it is because of his work ethic and how he looks after his people. He has looked after his people in the Seanad very well for the last two years. I thank him for what he has done for this Seanad office.

I thank Senators Regina Doherty and Lisa Chambers. When one walks into these Houses there are very few people that one looks up to in life. As a female politician I have always looked up to Senator Doherty. In the last couple of years I have gotten to know Senator Chambers but Senator Doherty has been a tyrant when it comes to work. I mean that she is an unbelievable worker and displays great stamina. She has now moved into Fingal and I know that if she does decide to run in the constituency of Fingal that she will work for and deliver for the people who live in that area. She is an incredibly hard working politician and brings something special to politics. Although the Senator and I may not share the same politics and values I appreciate all of the work that she does and the same for Senator Chambers. It is great to have women that one can look up to and follow in politics. I admire them both greatly.

Senator Pauline O'Reilly has been a pleasure to deal with over the last number of years as leader of the Green Party. I hope to God that Senator Garvey meets Senator Mark Daly more often to bring a sense of calm to her before she comes in here to fight her battles. I am sure that Senator Garvey will make a wonderful leader of the Green Party in the Seanad.Senators Gallagher and Kyne have been absolute gentlemen in their roles as Deputy Leaders and Whips of their parties. It is a great responsibility to be in here. We all know that responsibility. The country is facing some tumultuous times, and I thank everyone who elected me to this Chamber to do the best I can for the county councillors around the country and the people I represent in the constituency in which I live.

I know the Cathaoirleach will be fair. I did not really know him over recent years, but I have got to know him in the past six or seven months. I did not know that he studied for the priesthood in his early life. That says a lot about a person. It says a lot that the Cathaoirleach is a man of faith and a man of God. He is also a man of fairness and equality. I wish him all the best in the two and a half years ahead of him. Anything I can do to make his job better, I will try to do. It is great to have him in the Chair, where he cannot shout me down. I wish him the best of luck.

Emer Currie (Fine Gael)
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I am so happy for the Cathaoirleach that he has achieved this position. They say that it takes a village to raise a child, but it takes an army to get to this point in your career. In listening to everything that people have said about him today, I felt like we were on that journey with him. I had forgotten all the milestones, challenges and brave things he has done over the years. It makes absolute sense because, from the moment I arrived here, he has been a fair, sound and supportive colleague. He is, by nature, a nurturer. He cannot help himself. He will shine in this role and nurture this role in a very different way from our previous Cathaoirleach, although he will enhance the Seanad just as much.

Two things have brought us together over the past couple of years. One was when I got Covid. The Cathaoirleach was extremely supportive of me, as a brand new Senator who was terrified that she had got Covid. He was fantastic. The second thing is that we have shared grief. It is not even a year since the Cathaoirleach lost his dad. I have to admit that there was more than a lump in my throat as I listened to him. I can feel his loss today and his sadness that his father is not here to see this moment. He is here, however.

I was driving around in Bishopstown, County Cork, in the cold asking for Benvorlick Estate, the Cathaoirleach's address. I was looking for a fine mansion, Benvorlick Estate. I remember the welcome the Cathaoirleach gave me when I arrived at his house, even in the depths of his grief. That is what he does. He makes people feel part of a family. I am sure that will extend. It has already extended over his years here but it will go to a new level as Cathaoirleach.

Of course, I am particularly interested in what the Cathaoirleach said about the Good Friday Agreement. I am so excited to hear him say that. It is the perfect year to do it. There is a disconnect between North and South and that has increased because of what has happened with Brexit and the protocol. We need to get back into the patterns and habits of building bridges. Having MLAs here is a perfect way to do that. We can do that sectorally on the issues of the day, if the Cathaoirleach does not mind me making some suggestions already, in the same way the shared island unit hopes to from a civic point of view. This is an opportunity for two chambers to discuss common challenges. As we hope to come to a resolution on the protocol, it is an important time to consider how the protocol moulds to the Good Friday Agreement. The Good Friday Agreement is the only show in town and we absolutely have to make the protocol work with it.

On that topic, this House has done great work as regards an all-island perspective because of the work of our outgoing Cathaoirleach. I have soldiered with Senator Mark Daly over the past two and a half years. I have certainly learned a great deal from him. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with him on issues like supporting victims of the Troubles and to together sign a document that is the only resolution signed by all of the parties on this island. That is something he and I will treasure for the rest of our lives. We also discussed in this Chamber the constitutional future of our island and heard the amazing voices of young people, their visions and what they want. We also heard minority voices. We heard unionists in the Seanad contribute to the discussion on what this island can look like and what they want it to look like. Senator Mark Daly managed to get the son of Ian Paisley to contribute in Seanad Éireann, which, again, is a great achievement. I know he will be building on that.

Our outgoing Leas-Chathaoirleach, Senator Joe O'Reilly, has so much gravitas. He is such a distinguished politician and has done a fantastic job in his role. Of course, I have a fondness for him because he knew my father and is a Cavan man. Senators Doherty, Chambers and Pauline O'Reilly are straight-talking and practical female politicians with common sense whom I greatly admire. It is an absolute joy to work with them and to come up with shared solutions. I am in awe of their talent. I wish them the best of luck with the changeovers. As to Senator Boyhan, our Independent lead, I am again learning from him all of the time. I greatly appreciate the work he does for this House and for councillors all around the country. Lastly, I would be lost without Senator Kyne and Deirdre, the fiercest double act in town. Sometimes I do not realise I am lost and they find me and make sure I am in the right place. At the halfway point, interval or half-time, it is really nice to mark these people. We just could not do so properly two and a half years' ago. It is a very special day. Merry Christmas to everybody. I thank them for being such wonderful colleagues. I wish the man of the moment, our Cathaoirleach, the best of luck.

John Cummins (Fine Gael)
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I will start by acknowledging Senator Boyhan for putting himself forward for election. I work very well with him on the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. However, today is, of course, the Cathaoirleach's day. I am absolutely thrilled to be in a position to be here. Some people will know that I was sick most of the week, but I really wanted to be here today to see Senator Buttimer elevated to the esteemed position of Cathaoirleach. It is a great honour for him, his family, his friends, his supporters, Conchobar, his brothers and sisters and his mam and dad who are undoubtedly looking down on the Cathaoirleach and beaming with pride today. I am absolutely delighted for him. I have known him for many years. He served with my dad in this Chamber. He has always had good words to say to me as I came up, before I was a councillor and thereafter. As with Senator O'Sullivan, we share the same panel, the labour panel, and battle hard on it. However, we always do so as good friends and colleagues. In giving Senator Buttimer over to his position as Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, we will certainly miss him in the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party. However, we know that he will remain close friends of all of us, albeit at that slight remove that Senator Mark Daly will know. In that vein, I congratulate the outgoing Cathaoirleach and Leas-Chathaoirleach on their stewardship over recent years. They have done a tremendous job. To the outgoing Leader, Senator Doherty, and to Senator Pauline O'Reilly, I thank them for their steadfast work and for ordering the business, and I wish Senator Chambers all the best in her new role. I also acknowledge Senator Kyne for the exceptional work he has done. If I have forgotten anyone, I apologise.

I wish all the staff of the Seanad a very enjoyable and restful Christmas. We all look forward to coming back in the new year. Today is the Cathaoirleach's day, so I urge him to enjoy it. He deserves it. I wish him the best of luck for the coming years.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I call the iar-Chathaoirleach, Senator Burke.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach. You learn something new every day. Today, we found out there are two Father Teds. Like Senator Cummins, I offer my commiserations to Senator Boyhan and my congratulations on letting his name go forward. I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and wish him, Conchobar and their families the very best of luck during his term as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann.

This is an historic day, on a number of fronts. For one, Senator Buttimer is the first openly gay man to have been elected Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann in its 100 years and we are, almost to the day, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Seanad Éireann. It is a great honour for him, the House and the country that we have come so far.

Senator Chambers mentioned the changeover. It involved enormous trust. There was a changeover in this House in 1994, when the then Government changed without an election and the power in this House changed from one side to the other, but there was no obligation on the Cathaoirleach or the Leas-Chathaoirleach to resign, and they stayed in their positions. It went from being a majority Government to a minority one, yet the Government that was running the House never lost a vote, even though it had just a minority. Common sense prevailed in the House and Independent Senators played a huge part. They extracted some concessions from the Government and secured great achievements for the people they represented. It is historic from that point of view that the transition in this case involves the resignations of the Cathaoirleach and the Leas-Chathaoirleach, and it is a great credit to them. This changeover includes the Cathaoirleach and the Leas-Chathaoirleach, the Leader and the Deputy Leader, and the Whip and the deputy Whip. They are all changing positions and I congratulate all of them on a very smooth transition of power from one to the other. In that regard, this is a very historic day for Seanad Éireann.

Senator Mullen mentioned the independence of the Chair. This is crucial. The Cathaoirleach has to be independent and I have no doubt, as Senator Mullen said, that Senator Buttimer will be a very independent-minded Cathaoirleach. We all appreciate that and we have confidence that it will be the case. I have every confidence he will carry out the proposals he made in the magnificent contribution he made earlier to the House and we look forward to the changes he is going to make over the next two or two and a half years.

I again congratulate everyone involved, including the Cathaoirleach. I wish him and his husband, Conchobar, the best over the next two and a half years.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Go raibh maith agat, Senator. Of course, he was a wonderful Whip in that Government at the time.

As we have reached the end of this segment of the proceedings, I welcome to the Gallery a school group. They are very welcome on this historic day and I thank them for being here. I neglected to say earlier that we should remember our good friend, the former Senator Paul Coghlan, who is at home. We wish him well. I also thank Deirdre Chambers from the Whip’s office, who is sitting in the Gallery, for all her work.

I call the Leader.

Regina Doherty (Fine Gael)
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Notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, I propose that motions regarding the election of Leas-Chathaoirleach be taken at 3.30 p.m., that motions for the election of Leas-Chathaoirleach must reach the Clerk of the Seanad no later than 3.15 p.m. and that the sitting be now suspended until 3.30 p.m.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.