Victor Boyhan thanks staff and calls for debate on housing
Victor Boyhan thanked and congratulated parliamentary staff and called for a debate on one off world housing. He praised Bridget Doody and Martin Hughes for their service and urged delivery on commitments to rural communities and young families.
Tributes to departing staff
He opened by offering thanks and congratulations to Bridget Doody, calling her an extraordinary public servant with a wonderful personality and diligent support for senators across parties. He described her as a loyal colleague and an immense friend, and said he hoped there would be time to celebrate both Bridget Doody and Martin Groves for their commitment to the work of this democratic parliament.
Praise for Martin Hughes
He congratulated Martin Hughes, noting his experience since arriving in 2017, his private-sector work, and his engagement with third level and further education. He said Hughes had collaborated with colleagues on procedural matters and wished him every success while expressing concern he might not remain long if his trajectory continued.
Call for a debate on one off world housing
Boyhan asked the leader of the house to schedule a debate on one off world housing, stressing the issue repeatedly raised during the ploughing championships. He said constituents keep asking why change has not arrived and recalled letters from government ministers promising reforms 'in a few weeks time', urging the government to deliver on commitments to rural communities.
Rural families and the election context
He warned that in the run-up to the presidential election many will visit rural homesteads and ask what the government intends to do. Boyhan urged a clear, unified message on support and commitments for young families wishing to live in rural parts of the country so representatives can explain government action to voters.
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Firstly, I want to say two words, a thanks and a congratulations, and I want to say thanks to Bridget Doody, our assistant clerk, what an extraordinary public servant, what a wonderful personality, what a diligent person, and always supported Shanna there, and all senators of all parties and none, and I don't know what I can say, but I think we have lost a wonderful colleague, a loyal colleague, and an immense friend, and I know it was very hard for Bridget to say goodbye here, and I understand that, because she built personal relationships, I always say in politics, everything is about relationships, everything is about connection, and if you're not a decent person, and you can't be trusted, and you're basically not collegiate with your colleagues, you know, you suddenly turn off the key, so I want to wish Bridget, and I know no doubt she'll be looking in here at some stage, well, and I hope that we will have a time and an opportunity, both to celebrate Martin Groves and Bridget Doody for their absolute commitment and support to us in doing our work in this democratic parliament, and I now turn to congratulate Martin Hughes, and I can tell you, as someone that has observed him over a number of years, have worked in different ways, we've collaborated, chatted formally and informally, up and down the stairs in Leinster House, about how we could do things better, particularly in relation to joining the Rockies Committees, since he came here in 2017, since he came here in 2017, he's clearly gone and worked in the private sector and proven himself well there, he has taken third level and further education, and I think he's a very befitting, loyal, professional colleague, and I have no doubt you will excel, my only fear is that I don't think you'll stay here too long, if your trajectory continues to go the way it is, but I genuinely wish you every success, and I hope we won't be too long before we have our assistant clerk, and finally I wrap up by saying this, I again ask the leader of this house, can we have a debate, about one off world housing, and I spent a whole day in the ploughing championships, as did many other people, and indeed leaders of all parties, and again and again, the issue that keeps coming up is, why haven't we got change, we are years, I could paste the walls down there with letters, from the government ministers saying it's coming in a few weeks time, let's deliver on a commitment to rural communities, and I finish on this, all of us will have opportunity to walk in and out of the homesteads of people in rural Ireland, in the run up to this presidential election, and we'll be asked questions of it, and I think we need to be equipped to say what government are doing, and I don't think we have to be at odds here, let's deliver on a clear message, what we intend, in terms of our support and commitments for young families, that wish to live in rural parts of this country, thank you very much.
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