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time today. This is a moment none of us ever forgets - the moment we for the first time take our seats in this House. I know it is a source of immense pride for you and your families. It is the greatest honour to serve as a representative … your community. I genuinely wish each and every one of you the most fulfilling experience here in Leinster House. If I can offer any advice, it is for all of us to remember that we are but temporary custodians of our positions. We are here to serve

Politics is never boring, anyway. It is a very long time since I have had the opportunity to address the House from up here. I spent many years on these backbenches. The place looks a lot different when viewed from here than from the Chair below, where … daoine ionraic, macánta iad. Is beirt iad a bhfuil fealsúnacht acu atá bunaithe go hiomlán ar sheirbhís phoiblí. Today, I address the House with immense pride and appreciation of having had the privilege of serving as Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil. A little over eight years

assessment and intervention services for their children with additional needs and, of course, we have a generation locked out of home ownership. Record house prices and record rents have resulted in 500,000 adults stuck living in their childhood bedrooms, while others are stuck renting in insecure … unaffordable housing. Despite the resources and despite the wealth, they see no future in this country - no way to get a home of their own or start independent adult lives. Many are emigrating because of the housing failure. This housing emergency is the defining issue of our time

honour to be re-elected to serve my community. It is the honour of a lifetime for all of us in this House to be elected or re-elected to serve. I pay tribute to all our Labour Party activists and campaigners who gave their time and commitment … communities, which have been failed by many of the policies and priorities of the outgoing Government. They have been failed on housing and healthcare. All of us, over the course of the campaign, will have heard intimate and, in many cases, heartbreaking personal stories from those

Chéad Dáil as Gaeilge 105 years ago. He or she should have those skills. As I mentioned as Gaeilge, in a bilingual House with two official languages we need a Chair who can monitor and, if necessary, step in and apply the rules and protections of this House … Irish. The Irish text of our Constitution and the laws trumps the English versions for legal purposes. The most senior officer in this House should be competent in that language and be able to guide and assist others with the language too. Every Teachta Dála deserves a Ceann

candidate for the position of Ceann Comhairle. I have the greatest respect for that office and for the democratic processes within this House. I know there are two sets of opinions here. There is the view that political parties can nominate and suggest to their members … what was best in the interest of the State and in the interest of the individuals concerned. I am saying this to the House today because I believe what is best for the Members of this House is to work together to first ensure you have a Parliament

enough support to claim a mandate for government. Since the election we have been engaging in good-faith discussions with others in this House who we believe to share at a minimum a commitment to various core values. We are progressing fully in line with the approach which … than words. We now need to further accelerate the work of this initiative and to deepen the scale and ambition of its work. Housing must be a defining issue for the next Government. We have just come through a period of dramatic change in policy and also sustained

functioning democracy. Having succeeded in being elected, we are now the voice of our communities in this forum. We come into the House to make known the fears, concerns and aspirations of our constituents and to legislate accordingly. We communicate on their behalf the policies they want addressed … constituents, we make known the needs of the people to those who govern. In order to ensure that every Member is heard, this House must function smoothly and efficiently. Every Member is equal, irrespective of their political persuasion, political party or grouping. Every Member has a mandate

From the outset, I state my firm belief that we can make Ireland a Republic of equals, where everyone has access to affordable housing, quality healthcare, a good education, a decent job and a sustainable future. The Social Democrats believe that there must be a social floor below … which no one is allowed to fall. To achieve this, we must move in a new direction and take a different approach. The housing plans and policies that have been pursued over the last number of decades have utterly failed. They have left us with record levels

just the people of Cork North-Central but also my campaign manager, former Deputy Noel O’Flynn, who served in this House from 1997 to 2011. I thank him most sincerely for everything he has done for me as my father and of course as a Deputy … city and taking it seriously. I wish everybody a happy, holy and peaceful Christmas. I look forward to working with everybody in this House. I have to point out that I am a little disappointed to hear people in this House already saying they want to represent only

Chair. To the general public, I hope to be a reforming Ceann Comhairle, like my predecessor, and make the operations of the House more relevant in terms of the way it affects people day to day. I take on board the comments today and I undertake to improve … your support, which has been unrelenting. I thank the Clerk of the Dáil, Mr. Peter Finnegan, and the staff of the Houses. I also thank the staff in the catering service of the Houses, which is a very important aspect of the job, and we are looked after

leader who will tackle the Government's waste of public moneys and the many crises we face as a nation, such as housing, health and the cost of living among others, all cemented in legacies created by previous Governments' policies. She is a leader who unites people … country and in all walks of life. The low turnout in the election shows there is a widening disconnect between this House and the disenfranchised people of Ireland. That disconnect needs to be tackled now, and anyone anywhere who has ever witnessed Mary Lou McDonald engaging with

Regarding small businesses, we expect anyone negotiating for Government to demand an immediate drop in the VAT rate from 13.5% to 9%. On housing, more than 14,000 people are homeless, 4,000 of whom are children. Immediate action must be taken. We need to declare a housing … implement emergency legislation which would streamline our planning laws for rural and urban Ireland and would also include promoting modular and log cabin houses. We in Independent Ireland have strong policies on agriculture. We are 100% opposed to the Mercosur deal. We would expect every politician going into

There is no reason to believe that, having caused a housing crisis and made it worse, having sustained a crisis in health, having failed to deliver for working people, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, its junior partner, are in any position to straighten matters out. The parties that … went innocently about my business in my kitchen, Members from Government benches on the airwaves congratulating themselves on their performance in housing and health over the past five years. Let us be very clear. No amount of back slapping or plámás can hide your failures because people live

first contribution in the House, I extend my congratulations to the Ceann Comhairle and my heartfelt thanks to the people of Kildare North for placing their trust in me. I would like to take a moment to appreciate my friend, the former TD, Catherine Murphy. I thank fellow … opportunity for us to start to work together. We all have local priorities and, for me, a resolution of the situation in Castletown House is one such priority. I ask the current Government to find that resolution in the coming weeks and months, if possible. I have been

that change but I will do it in a manner that enshrines inclusiveness, equality and sustainability. The first step in that is housing as a right. A radical reset in housing policy is urgently required, as set out by the Housing Commission. We cannot proceed with a policy

Along with others, I mark this historic day, as the House has elected the first woman Ceann Comhairle. She follows in the footsteps of Cathal Brugha, our first Ceann Comhairle, who was elected on 21 January 1919, just over 105 years ago. I was very pleased to nominate … government is formed. The Irish people said to us that a major job of work is to be done with regard to housing, health, childcare, elder care, disability, immigration, child poverty, regional disparities, climate change, carers and public sector reform. We expect the Government to get on with

Comhairle Dháil Éireann a roghnú. I will now proceed to the secret ballot in accordance with Standing Order 6. I must inform the House that, having received and examined nominations for the position of Ceann Comhairle, the following is the list of validly nominated candidates: Deputy John McGuinness … Fearghaíl and Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh. As there is more than one candidate, the candidate who will be proposed for election by the House will be selected by secret ballot. Before proceeding to the secret ballot, I will in alphabetical order call on each candidate to speak

great honour to serve as Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann, as the Speaker of our Parliament and as custodian of this House. I know you will serve with diligence, impartiality and decency. I think we know you are from Wexford from those opening contributions, and I know that … Fearghaíl, who served for eight years with absolute distinction and brought a great sense of pride to all of us in the Houses

country. The Government an Teachta McDonald would lead would be a Government of change, a new Government that would end the housing crisis and make housing affordable for working people, a Government that would transform our health services and end the wait for treatment, one that would introduce

tribute to the outgoing Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Ó Fearghaíl, for his work and his commitment to the reform of procedures in the House. We look forward to working with you. It is good to be back, and I think all of us in this Chamber share that sentiment … whoever is elected Taoiseach, we must all work together, constructively, to achieve the change that communities need. We are all aware of the housing crisis, the civil rights issue of this generation. We are all aware of creaking public services, of healthcare delays, of chronic staffing shortages across

housing and homelessness crisis is the most fundamental issue facing this country and the outgoing Government has failed to deal with it. In the Thirty-second Dáil, I introduced the Housing Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill and it is my intention to reintroduce that Bill

Fine Gael and put forward left-wing policies. There should be no scapegoating of asylum seekers or trans people. The blame for the housing and health crises should be put on those at the top and not those at the bottom. The left should work together to build … mass movements outside the Dáil that can make a real difference on disability justice and housing, and immediately implement the occupied territories Bill as a step to comprehensive sanctions on Israel

three seats in Laois belong to the people there. There are huge challenges ahead in the constituency I represent. We need affordable housing for those caught in the middle who cannot get a mortgage or get on a social housing waiting list. We need schools. School capacity

very aware that a cold wind will soon blow, pluck me up and deposit me on the Opposition side of the House. However, I am pleased to be here and the Green Party is pleased to be here. On a very serious note, I thank the people … other former member of our parliamentary party regret our participation in government. Green Party Ministers advanced over 40 Bills in the House over the past four and half years and impacted positively on multiple Bills. I always ask what is the point of sitting in these seats