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20 September 2007 Edition

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OIREACHTAS : Pearse Doherty takes seat in the Seanad

Pearse Doherty makes  maiden speech in Seanad

Pearse Doherty makes maiden speech in Seanad

Strong voice – new platform

IN HIS maiden speech to the new Seanad, Senator Pearse Doherty said Sinn Féin will use the Seanad to hold the government to account on a whole range of issues affecting people all over Ireland and to be a strong voice for Donegal.
“This is a proud day for both myself and Sinn Féin. I look forward to a debate on much-needed Seanad reform and wish to use this house to hold the government to account on issues such as the provision of equal access to healthcare and education, balanced regional development, rural regeneration, and transport infrastructure.
“I am also here to provide a voice for Donegal. It is a county with the highest unemployment rate, the highest levels of poverty, and the lowest disposable incomes. Our hospital has had the highest number of patients on hospital trolleys outside of Dublin and has cancelled most operations. Donegal is in dire need of a satellite radiotherapy centre to treat cancer patients, in addition to the roll-out of breast-check services.
“The scant infrastructure we have is crumbling. It is the 'derailed county’ with no rail links, an underdeveloped electricity network and poor, patchy broadband coverage. Local roads are in dire need of repair. The people of Donegal deserve much better and I am here to represent them.
“I wish to be a strong voice for Sinn Féin’s national aspirations, of uniting Ireland and achieving a society of equals whereby each and every person on this island enjoys the same rights and opportunities without discrimination.”

FIGHTING FIANNA FÁIL/PD LEGACY
Earlier, Pearse joined TDs Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Arthur Morgan when they spoke to the media before the Seanad meeting.
Setting out Sinn Féin’s priorities for the forthcoming Dáil and Seanad sessions, Ó Caoláin pledged strong opposition to recently announced health cut-backs.
“Sinn Féin will be making the crisis in our health services our top priority in the new Oireachtas and in our campaigning in the coming months. Already this government is presiding over cut-backs in health provision with the Health Service Executive’s ban on recruitment of front-line staff and with hospitals around the country being forced to restrict services to the public. Health unions are preparing to take action and we urge support for them as these cuts should and will be resisted.
“The Fianna Fáil/PD legacy of failure has been very clear over the past summer. Inflated house prices are falling but many thousands of people have still not been provided with adequate homes. The health crisis continues. Aer Lingus  – which should never have been privatised – is acting against the country’s infrastructural interests. The community at Rossport is still under siege and our natural resources are being robbed, as we see from continuing protests there.
“We intend to hold this government to account every day of the week and put forward real alternatives. We will seek to build alliances both inside and outside Leinster House. We will be working with our ministers in the Executive and we will continue our work for Irish unity.” 

‘Clár poblachtach agus soisialach’ – Doherty

Ag labhairt dó den chéad uair sa Seanad dúirt an Seanadóir Pearse Doherty go mbeadh sé “ag iarraidh dul chun cinn a dhéanamh ar clár poblachtach agus sóisialach”. Labhair an chéad Seanadóir de chuid Sinn Féin go hiomlán i nGaeilge ag an chéad cruinniú den Seanad nua ar an Déardaoin 13 Meán Fómhair.
Dúirt an Seanadóir Doherty nach mbeadh sé ag cur in éadan ainmniúcháin an Seanadóir Pat Moylan mar Cathaoirleach. Toghdh é d’aonghuth.  Rinne Pearse Doherty chomhghairdeas leis an gCathaoirleach, agus lean sé:
“Is lá bródúil é seo dúinn uilig go léir, go mórmhór domsa agus do mo pháirtí.  Tá mé taréis an chéad suíochán sa Seanad a bhaint amach ar son Sinn Féin. Nil dabht ar bith agam faoin dualgas atá orm cinntiú go mbeidh an Rialtas freagrach ó thaobh rudaí ar nós sláinte, oideachas, cúrsaí teaghlaigh, forbairt réigiúnach agus infrastruchtúr.
“Tá mé anseo fosta chun glór a thabhairt do phobal Dhún na nGall – pobal atá fágtha ar an ngannchuid agus ar an imeall. Tá na rátaí is airde dífhostaíochta agus bochtanais sa tír i gContae Dhún na nGall. Tá na seirbhísí sláinte faoi bhrú sa chontae. Níl seirbhísí raidióteiripe nó BreastCheck againn go fóill. Tá súil agam go mbeidh mé in ann comhoibriú le gach Seanadóir agus go tabharfaimid aghaidh ar na fadbhanna sin. Tá fadhbanna le infrastruchtúr na réigiúin - níl aon iarnród againn, mar shampla. Níl seirbhísí banda leathan ar fáil i gceantair iargúlta. 
“Tá súil agam go ndéanfaidh mé comhoibriú le gach éinne. Beidh mé i mo ghlór láidir do Sinn Féin sa Teach seo. Beidh mé ag iarraidh dul chun cinn a dhéanamh ar clár poblachtach agus sóisialach, chun go mbeimid ábalta ath-aontú na tíre seo a bhaint amach, agus chun go mbeidh cearta ag gach saoránach, ní miste cén cearn don chontae nó an tír seo ar a tháinig siad ar an saol, nó cén ioncam atá acu. Tá súil agam go gheobhaidh mé tacaíocht na dTithe seo san am atá amach romhainn.”

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