A Chairde,
Míle buíochas as bhur bhfáilte mhór chroíúil anocht.
I want to thank you for your work on behalf of Fianna Fáil in communities in every part of our country.
And to the hundreds of members who will stand in the local and European elections in June, thank you for your commitment to public service – something our country needs as much as ever.
Every day I am conscious of the honour to have been chosen to serve as leader of Fianna Fáil.
Our great founding generation saw many of their dearest friends fall during the struggle for Ireland’s independence.
But their focus – their vision for this republic – was always about shaping a better future.
They ensured that the newest and poorest state in Europe became one of the world’s oldest and most successful democracies.
They were never complacent. They were always ready to tackle new challenges facing Ireland.
That’s the spirit that must always be at the core of the Fianna Fáil party.
And we need this spirit because this is a moment of enormous challenge for Ireland.
In this new age of uncertainty, many people are worried that the problems might be just too big to overcome.
In the face of these and other profound challenges I understand why people are concerned. But be in no doubt – we can, and we will overcome them.
I know this because we have already achieved so much as a country – and we can achieve so much more.
Just think of the terrible pandemic which we faced four years ago.
As a country we came together. In government, working with our partners, we showed how resilient Ireland can be.
And since then, we have worked every day to strengthen our economy, to build new homes, to expand health services.
Steady and real progress.
But we know that there is much more to be done.
This evening, I want to step away from the daily back and forth of politics.
I want to talk with you about Fianna Fáil’s commitment to addressing the biggest challenges facing our country.
About the work we are doing in government, and more importantly what we are determined to do both during the next year and the years ahead.
I want to talk about our positive programme of action.
About Fianna Fáil’s priorities to secure Ireland’s future not just today but also in the years ahead.
Ireland’s Place in the World
Deep and positive engagement with Europe and the world is absolutely fundamental for Ireland’s future.
Today there is a terrible war on its border and the basic values of democracy which we value so much are being undermined.
But there can be no doubt where Ireland must stand.
The European Union is one of the greatest sources of peace and economic progress in history.
It helped us to achieve real sovereignty.
It is a guarantor of our place in the world and our ability to provide jobs for our people.
For these and many other reasons, Fianna Fáil believes that Ireland must stand with the European Union.
We must stand for a reformed and more effective Union.
That’s why June’s European elections are so important.
For too long Ireland’s voice in the European Parliament has been weakened by MEPs who endlessly attack Europe and deliver nothing.
To enable our country navigate these challenging times, we have to start by electing new,positive voices to the European Parliament.
MEPs who will represent Ireland’s interests and values through building alliances.
We need more MEPs like Billy Kelleher and Barry Andrews.
A Chairde,
In addressing the impact on Ireland of the global migration crisis we need to work with other European countries.
We need shared action to reduce numbers and speed up procedures.
That’s why we support the European Asylum & Migration Pact – an agreement to deliver a firm but fair response to this profound challenge.
Over two years ago Valdimir Putin unleashed a new phase in Russia’s relentless war against Ukraine.
Let’s never forget what is at stake here – Putin is trying to crush the desire of a nation to have a free, peaceful, democratic, and European future.
Our support for the people of Ukraine must be resolute.
We must help them to get through this war, and to then rebuild as a future member of the European Union.
The values which we bring to Europe must motivate our wider concern for peace and human rights in the world.
Humanitarian work and support for strong international rules must remain central to our work.
Over the past six months this has meant tireless work to try to bring an end to the war in Gaza and prevent a human catastrophe.
Let there be no doubt, the brutal savagery of Hamas on October 7th should be condemned by anyone with basic decency.Nothing could ever justify their objectives and actions.
They should release all hostages and stop their activities, which have brought great misery to the Palestinian people.
But as I have said repeatedly, including in direct discussions with the Israeli government, its war in Gaza is causing a shocking
humanitarian catastrophe and cannot be justified.
The evidence shows that war crimes have been committed and the bombardment of the population must be utterly condemned.
A permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages and a mass humanitarian relief effort are needed, and they are needed now.
The only possible route to peace is for a stable, democratic state for the Palestinian people.
I will soon bring to government a formal proposal, in coordination with other governments we have worked with throughout this conflict to recognise a Palestinian state.
This weekend there are very worrying developments in tensions between Iran and Israel.
We join with others in appealing to Iran to step back from an escalation which threatens millions more people in the region with conflict.
And events internationally remind us again of the urgency of working for lasting peace and reconciliation on this island.
Last year we marked the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, an achievement of which Fianna Fáil has every right to be proud.
It brought an end to bloody and illegitimate campaigns of violence. But more importantly, it was, as the late great Seamus Mallon said, a new dispensation for our island.
It gave us an opportunity to finally tackle sectarianism, poverty, and suspicion that caused so much division.
That’s the spirit behind the Shared Island Initiative, which I established immediately upon becoming Taoiseach.
For the first time, a major programme of research and investment in building reconciliation is underway.
Vital projects are being funded like the A5 to the North-West, developing the University of Ulster and building the Narrow-Water Bridge – improving connections for the benefit of all.
We are funding new research which is exploring both what unites us and where we differ on issues like taxation, health services and helping children to complete school.
I know we can achieve a lasting reconciliation and unity, and this will always be our commitment.
And we also have to work to make sure we have an economy which provides the jobs and resources we need in the years ahead.
With rapid changes in markets and technology, we can’t take anything for granted.
We have to invest in our future and make sure that we have the resources to provide decent services for our people.
We have to support trade and trade agreements which are fundamental to Irish jobs.
And we also have to tackle the rising cost of living which is being experienced by every family.
The first step is to invest in the skills, the infrastructure, the new industries we need for good jobs and a strong economy.
And this doesn’t happen overnight. It takes sustained investment to plan, deliver, and maintain these programmes.
That’s why we are creating the largest reserve funds in Ireland’s history to guarantee investments and to protect pensions and public services in the years ahead.
Called the Future Ireland Fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund, they will mean that the needs of our citizens are provided for, today and well into the future.
The Infrastructure Fund will make sure that the school buildings, new hospitals facilities,
roads and public transport links we need have secure funding from design to delivery.
In tougher economic times these new funds will be there to help all of our people.
A Chairde,
The extreme weather changes we’re seeing is the direct impact of climate change.
No community is being hit harder by climate change than our farmers and the wider agrifood industry. They are not only our largest indigenous industry, they are also custodians of our nature and our food security.
We need our farming community. We need sustainable food production.
Fianna Fáil understands that reconciling both food security and action on climate change is a defining challenge of our time – and we have to support farmers in this.
We are putting in place urgent assistance, but more importantly we will deliver longer-term support.
New technologies, direct aid to farmers and real partnership for change – this is Fianna Fáil’s commitment to secure the future for Irish farming and food production.
Small and medium sized businesses are at the heart of every community.
Overwhelmingly Irish-owned, they are highly innovative and create vital employment. They need our support.
We have to help reduce costs like energy and insurance.
It is also wrong that employers paying the increased minimum wage are subject to the highest rate of PRSI. This is an additional cost that cannot be justified, and we are going to fix this in the weeks ahead.
We will also use the National Training Fund to help small businesses become more productive and more competitive.
A Chairde,
The greatest challenge which most families face is the rising cost of living.
Rising costs for energy and many basic products is a worldwide problem – but it’s one we have to address.
We’ve taken a number of urgent steps to help families such as direct aid for electricity bills.
But we have to go further – we need to tackle costs across a wide range of areas.
Fianna Fáil promised to tackle the high cost of childcare and we’re delivering.
Childcare fees will be down by 50% from September and we will continue to increase funding to create affordable childcare places in every community.
That’s real help for families.
And when it comes to changes in personal taxes the priority must be families on low and average incomes who are feeling the most pressure from rising prices.
That’s what we’ve done this year, and this is our priority for future budgets.
Every cost adds up, and that’s why we are also cutting charges for many public services.
A range of health charges have been cut or abolished – and over half a million more people this year have free access to GP care.
We’ve capped and cut transport fares.
And free schoolbooks have been introduced up to the Junior Certificate and will be expanded to all remaining years – permanently lifting a major cost from parents.
Sustained action to help families with the rising cost of living – this is Fianna Fáil’s commitment.
Housing
Of course, the biggest worry for many people is whether or not they can find a home to buy or rent.
There is no other area where the pressure of our rapidly rising population has had as much impact.
And people are right to be impatient.
The simple fact is that the only way to make homes more accessible and more affordable is to build more homes, and to directly help people on lower incomes.
Immediately when we went into government, we began developing and implementing action on every element of housing.
Every honest person accepts that seeing the full impact of this takes time, but the facts show a major expansion in home building has been delivered and is accelerating.
Since we came to office, over 100,000 new homes have been completed.
This is just the start.
We are reforming the planning laws to stop delays of urgent housing projects. We have created a new state agency to provide land and build new homes.
We are training the thousands of apprentices we need to build more homes.
We’re not there yet, we have to keep pushing change and challenging roadblocks, but a new era in home building is underway.
In the last four years more houses have been built than in the previous nine years combined.
There is more to be done, but that is real momentum.
And our priority is and will always be young people and families on lower and moderate incomes who need help to afford their own home.
The Help to Buy, First Home and Vacant Property Refurbishment schemes have together helped thousands of people.
A new era of social housing has begun.
Last year alone saw the delivery of 12,000 social homes. And we will go much further.
Thousands more are already in the pipeline.
And we will do more to help people to find affordable homes to rent.
The €750 tax credit for renters we have introduced will be increased and expanded.
At a time of real crisis for renters, an unacceptable number of homes have been diverted to short-term letting and lie idle through much of the year.
This year we are going to take much stronger action to return homes to the rental market.
And we’ll fund a major expansion in dedicated student housing.
To tackle our housing crisis, you don’t need politicians delivering angry speeches – you need a commitment to sustained action.
While others talk, Fianna Fáil is the party of action on housing.
Pensions and Health
Supporting older people will always be a priority for Fianna Fáil.
Each year we have insisted on increases to the state pension which go beyond inflation.
This must continue and we are determined to deliver a sustained increase in the income of older people.
And we have to make sure that people who retire in the future have decent pensions.
That’s why the new Future Ireland Fund will underpin the provision of the State pension well into the future.
And it’s also why we are introducing automatic enrolment – enabling 800,000 more workers to retire with pensions above and beyond the state pension.
Expanding and modernising our health services is one of the most important tasks we have undertaken.
The largest programme of investment and development in the history of our health services is now underway.
One profoundly important example has been the introduction of new mental health and dementia
services.
There’s a huge agenda of action required, but there’s been a great start.
52 Dementia Day care centres and 25 memory clinics have been put in place across the country.
Hundreds of new mental health professionals are being hired – and a reforming Mental Health Bill will be introduced.
And we are determined to help children with special needs. Hiring thousands of special needs assistants is important, but we have to go further.
Access to needed therapies takes too long and is too difficult for children and their families.
A new approach is needed.
A core part of this is to provide new multi-disciplinary therapy teams based in schools, starting with special schools.
Accessible, expert and comprehensive therapies for children – this is our commitment.
A Chairde,
Twenty years ago, the Fianna Fáil organisation voted to support the workplace smoking ban.
It was one of the most important public health initiatives in our history.
The full benefits were likely to take years while the costs were immediate.
But it was the right thing to do.
Thousands of lives have been saved because we took the long-term view.
And we must keep our focus on public health.
Wherever I go in the country I meet parents who are worried about what is becoming the new public health crisis of our time – the impact on children of social media and being constantly online.
Research clearly shows mental health, educational and social damage to many children.
But parents and schools struggle to know what to do.
We’ve taken the first step by sending guidance to schools, but we must go much further.
A joint initiative will be prepared by health and education.
Clear, accessible guidance will be available to every parent on what to do concerning your child and the online world.
Every school will be given funding to support the banning of smartphone use during school time.
And to the social media companies our message is clear. Take concrete steps to get underage children off your apps or we will impose those steps on you.
Online safety – getting children off their screens and back talking to each other – these are objectives we should all share.
Agus is tuairim lárnach de pháirtí Fhianna Fáil go gcaithfimid ár gcultúr agus ár bhféiniúlacht náisiúnta a chosaint agus a fhorbairt.
Is cuid riachtanach dár n-aitheantas náisiúnta é dlúthbhaint a bheith againn le cultúir na hEorpa agus le cultúir an domhain uilig. Sin cuid thábhachtach dár nÉireannachas.
Le cúig bliana anuas, táimid de shíor ag méadú na tacaíochta don oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge.
Níl aon amhras ach go leanfaidh athbheochan na Gaeilge, ár dteanga iontach náisiúnta, ar aghaidh le díograis sna blianta amach romhainn.
Agus is iontach an scéal é go bhfuil Thomas Byrne mar aire na Gaeltachta anois.
A Chairde,
Even with the impact of a terrible pandemic and a war in Europe, we’ve been able to show real movement in critical areas.
But our focus is not on looking back, it is on moving forward.
To those who think everyone in politics is the same, it’s just not true.
This evening I’ve focused on talking about our priorities and what we want to achieve in the years ahead.
But be in no doubt that there are real and growing differences between the parties.
Fianna Fáil rejects the negative politics of those who claim Ireland has achieved nothing – those who oppose everything and offer empty promises.
Fianna Fáil is the party willing to do the serious work of planning, funding, delivering, sustaining progress in our country.
We are the party which shows how a positive agenda can help us overcome even the biggest problems.
We are the party which shows just how much more our country can achieve.
And most of all, we are committed to the hard and sustained work of delivering real progress for the Irish people.
This is our work. This is our commitment.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh.
ENDS