: Tairgim:
Go dtoghfar an Teachta Pádraig Ó Fachtna agus go rachaidh sé i gceannas na Dála anois mar Cheann Comhairle.
I move:
That Deputy Pádraig Faulkner be elected and do now take the Chair of the Dáil as Ceann Comhairle.
Deputy Faulkner has been a member of this House now for 23 years. During that time he has served his country as a Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Lands, and as Minister for the Gaeltacht, Minister for Education, Minister for Transport and Power, Minister for Posts and Telegraphs and Minister for Defence. He has served in each of these posts with distinction. To each he brought a dedication, a capacity for hard work and a sense of duty and responsibility tempered with humanity which, I think, it is fair to say, are widely recognised in all parts of this House, Certainly those with whom he worked and those in his constituency for whom he worked will find no problem in acknowledging his fine qualities as a man, a representative, a colleague, and a Minister.
Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil don Uasal Ó Fachtna, go sollúnta agus go poiblí, mar gheall ar an pháirt suntasach a ghlac sé i n-obair an Rialtais i gcomhluadar ár gcomhaltaí. Thaispeáin sé díogras, ionracas, tuiscint agus gach tréith a bhaineann le manadh na Féinne sna postanna a ghlac sé. Tá súil agam go n-éireoidh leis sa todhchaí in a phost nua mar a d'éirigh leis le blianta beaga anuas mar Aire.
Agus ba mhaith liom freisin dea-mhéin an Rialtais a chur in iúl dó go mbeidh tréimhse rathúil sona aige mar Cheann Comhairle.