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Incoming Taoiseach F\u00e1il Miche\u00e1l Martin has hailed his new role as \u201cone of the greatest honors which anyone can receive\u201d.<\/p>\nIncoming Taoiseach F\u00e1il Miche\u00e1l Martin has hailed his new role as \u201cone of the greatest honors which anyone can receive\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Fianna F\u00e1il leader was elected Taoiseach of the 33rd Irish parliament, with 93 TDs voting in favor and 63 against. Three TDs abstained.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin used his inaugural speech to pay tribute to the health workers and those who have died in the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
He told the Dail, sitting in Dublin\u2019s Convention Center: \u201cWe are meeting away from our permanent chamber because of a historic pandemic which has struck Ireland and the rest of the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs of today, 2,278 people on this island have lost their lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany thousands more have fought a long struggle to recover. There is no community, no part of our country, which has escaped untouched.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the last three-and-a-half months, enormous progress has been made in controlling the spread of the virus and treating those who have become sick.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe struggle against the virus is not over. We must continue to contain its spread. We must be ready to tackle any new wave, and we must move forward rapidly to secure a recovery to benefit all of our people.\u201d<\/p>\n
As he hailed the honor of being elected Taoiseach, Mr Martin paid tribute to his wife and children, and said he is proud of his working class roots.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cMost of all I want to thank my family and my community. Without them I could have achieved nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier, Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar said Civil War politics has ended in Ireland\u2019s parliament, after political rivals agreed to form the historic governing coalition.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin\u2019s Fianna F\u00e1il won the most seats in February\u2019s inconclusive general election.<\/p>\n
Mr Varadkar said: \u201cI believe Civil War politics ended a long time ago in our country, but today Civil War politics ends in our parliament.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo great parties coming together with another great party, the Green Party, to offer what this country needs, a stable government for the betterment of our country and for the betterment of our world.<\/p>\n
\u201cI look forward to the privilege of serving in government with those two parties, as does my party.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor my own party Fine Gael, it\u2019s an opportunity, a third term in government, something we\u2019ve never been able to do before, three consecutive terms.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe chance to protect what has been achieved and secured over the past nine years and also a second chance, an opportunity to get right some of the things that we didn\u2019t get right in the years gone by.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m up for that challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n
Proposing Mr Martin for Taoiseach, Fianna F\u00e1il TD Norma Foley said it was an honor to nominate him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we look at the record of Deputy Micheal Martin you must give credit to the man. When we look at his record in government and his time in office, he was a progressive and reforming minister for education and foreign affairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeputy Micheal Martin has a valiant record of delivering for this free Republic.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe program for government agreed by Fianna F\u00e1il is a progressive program for change. Deputy Micheal Martin has the talent and tenacity we need to lead the country with distinction.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, Sinn F\u00e9in president Mary Lou McDonald said February was the change election, and her party won more votes than any other.<\/p>\n
She claimed Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael conspired against Sinn F\u00e9in to exclude it from government, and the voices of more than half a million people who voted for them.<\/p>\n
She described the coalition as a \u201cmarriage of convenience\u201d, and added: \u201cFaced with the prospect of losing their grip on power, Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael have circled the wagons.\u201d<\/p>\n
Detailed negotiations on an agreement on shared priorities with Fine Gael and the smaller Green Party have been delayed by the coronavirus crisis.<\/p>\n
Firm targets for reducing carbon emissions and encouraging sustainable transport, as well as helping the country recover from economic harm caused by infection restrictions, will be among the new administration\u2019s priorities.<\/p>\n
The Dail met in the unusual surroundings of the glass-fronted convention center on Dublin\u2019s River Liffey.<\/p>\n
The temporary change of venue from Leinster House was to enable social distancing and to allow all 160 public representatives to sit.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin traveled to Aras an Uachtarain, where he received his Seal of Office from President Michael D Higgins.<\/p>\n
After selecting his new Cabinet during a series of meetings at Government Buildings, Mr Martin unveiled his top table to the Dail on Saturday evening.<\/p>\n
These include;<\/p>\n
The Cabinet ministers will hold their first meeting later after they receive their seals of office.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin has taken over from Mr Varadkar in a historic reconciliation of a political feud with Fine Gael dating back to the foundation of the state a century ago.<\/p>\n
Fine Gael are due to retrieve the Taoiseach\u2019s role at the end of 2022 under the terms of the coalition agreement.<\/p>\n