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So today really is the last day of Enda Kenny’s long goodbye as Taoiseach.
After 42 years as a TD, 15 as Fine Gael leader, and six as Taoiseach, Kenny has given his final speech to the Dáil.
There were plenty of tributes and kind words (from some benches in the Dáil at least) for Kenny, as well as a standing ovation, after he finished addressing colleagues for the last time.
Thanks for joining us for today’s liveblog.
It’s around an hour before Kenny takes to the stage that is Dáil Éireann for his last speech but there’s plenty of reaction already in and out of Leinster House.
Have an opinion on our outgoing Taoiseach? Let us know in the comments below or send them in to sean@thejournal.ie.
Whatever your opinion of Enda, he’s had some journey over his 40 years in the Dáil.
From a reluctant Taosieach to a reluctant ex-Taoiseach, this piece from my colleague Rónán Duffy has a look at what the Mayo man’s legacy will be.
This is not just Enda’s last day in the hot seat, as Minister Michael Noonan will also step down as Minister for Finance, when Leo Varadkar assumes the role as Taoiseach tomorrow.
There’s been plenty of speculation as to who Leo will choose to replace him, but nothing has been confirmed just yet.
Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams spoke to journalists at Leinster House earlier today, and said that he wished Enda and Michael Noonan well, before getting a few digs in at the UK government.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Micheál Martin also struck a conciliatory tone, with the Fianna Fáil leader jokingly(?) saying that he’d “probably miss him”.
The Taoiseach, himself, didn’t have much to say when arriving at Leinster House this morning telling reporters it was “business as usual”.
And what next for Enda? Will he walk off into the sunset?
Our political reporter Christina Finn had a look at where he may go next (with lots of pictures of Enda laughing and singing with children).
There’s plenty of clouds in the sky, but the sun is shining on Leinster House ahead of Kenny’s final speech.
In reality, Enda’s departure is a long time coming.
Initially, he said he’d clarify his future after his St Patrick’s Day trip to the White House, but it wasn’t until mid-May that he finally made the announcement.
Last month, illustrator Annie West imagined what Kenny would be like in his office heading into the final days.
There have been plenty of pictures of a fresh-faced Enda Kenny taking his Dáil seat back in the 1970s and here is one such blast from the past in the RTÉ archives, on the election trail in Mayo West in 1975.
And what about the man who’s coming next?
Since being elected leader of Fine Gael, Leo Varadkar has made sure that he’ll have enough votes to become the next Taoiseach at a Dáil vote tomorrow.
Here’s our explainer for how it’s all going to go down.
Varadkar’s first aim was to secure the support of the Independent Alliance, which he duly achieved.
In other Independent Alliance news, Minister for Transport Shane Ross today announced that Stepaside Garda Station is set to re-open.
On a lighter note, the resignation of Enda Kenny should make the job of non-Irish journalists tasked with covering Irish news a bit easier, as many have mistaken Enda for Edna over the years.
As for Enda’s own take on his legacy, we asked him that very question back in 2015.
Here’s what he said:
Just minutes away now…
All Fine Gael senators are beginning to file into the chamber now too, to hear Kenny’s final speech.
And he begins.
“I was hoping I could leave quickly and quietly,” he says.
He says he doesn’t relish hearing platitudes.
“This was never about me,” he said.
He thanks the Ceann Comhairle, and all the staff at Leinster House.
He quotes Teddy Roosevelt: “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”
“Cynicism is always an easy cop out,” Kenny says.
He says hard work often goes unrewarded. He says people have a poor view of politics, and that politicians could change that by treating each other with respect.
He admits he didn’t get everything right, but said that the government had made a difficult situation work.
He says it would be “remiss” not to mention Labour’s role in the last government.
He says it was a “privilege and pleasure” to work with party colleagues.
Kenny is also paraphrasing Michael Davitt.
“To Ireland, I leave freedom and independence which has always been my ambition to achieve”.
And a rousing ovation follows.
Micheál Martin says that Enda Kenny has given a masterclass to colleagues in how to conduct himself in the last few months.
He says that Kenny ensured his departure went “at his assigned pace”.
His would-be successors issued statements saying he was the best Irishman since Brian Boru, he jokes.
He says Kenny’s place in history is assured.
No purpose would be served by referencing disputes, the Fianna Fáil leader says.
He calls Kenny an “Irish patriot”.
He says that the failure of Mayo to win the Sam Maguire is a “great burden” for Kenny.
Martin says that the Taoiseach was courageous to take over the party, face the heave and win the 2011 general election.
“It was incredibly courageous of you to work in Dublin when Michael Ring was in Mayo stealing your votes,” he says.
On behalf of Fianna Fáil, he wishes the best to Kenny and all of his family.
Gerry Adams next. Will be similarly conciliatory?
He begins by wishing Enda Kenny well in the future.
He says that he always found Kenny friendly.
“I will miss you. I will miss your entertaining tales of meetings you have had. And not had.”
He references the infamous man with the two pints in his hand.
Adams says Kenny has earned his time off.
Adams says that marriage equality and his attitude to Catholic hierarchy were successes.
But there were failures too, the Sinn Féin leader says.
Failure to recognise Palestine was one, Adams says.
He criticises the government’s approach to the banking crisis, and says the government increased the debt burden on the Irish people.
“No one has really been held responsible,” Adams says.
He says: “Failure to hold anyone to account is the main failure of all.”
He also references the housing crisis, health service and Brexit.
No matter who the Fine Gael leader is, the party “only serves some of the people”.
He also goes on the attack at Fianna Fáil for supporting the minority government.
Another historic failure is the lack of engagement with the North, Adams says.
He says the DUP has wilfully blocked rights in the Northern Ireland.
“The only way to address this for a consistent strategic engagement,” he says.
The British government will not play its part unless the Irish government treats it as a priority.
“You can take satisfaction from achievements, but the biggest problems remain,” the Sinn Féin leader says.
Enda Kenny is probably the best leader Fine Gael ever had.
He closes by reiterating his support for the Taoiseach’s family.
Labour leader Brendan Howlin is speaking now.
He says others would attack Kenny for his legacy, but he won’t.
“But I won’t present a hagiography of you,” he says.
He says he recalls a strength of Kenny he saw when he worked closely with him during the Rainbow Coalition in the 1990s.
The hopeful, happy Enda is one the Irish people will remember, he says.
People couldn’t understand your high-fives with children back in 2010, Howlin says.
“You recognised that after the dark comes the dawn. Until then, we needed superficial light to keep us going,” the Labour leader says.
He calls it revisionism to say Kenny is wholly responsible for the banking crisis.
He says Fianna Fáil like to imagine that time began in 2011.
“Their version of facts is not true,” he says.
Howlin says that the FG-Labour government didn’t get everything right, but that it fulfilled its central role of “fixing the mess”.
He calls it Kenny’s greatest achievement and legacy.
He also praises the Taoiseach for his speech to the Dáil he gave after the Cloyne report.
“It made its way around the world in no time at all,” Howlin says. “You spoke on behalf of the people.”
Here’s a refresher on what Kenny said in that speech:
Howlin says that Kenny didn’t use the role for personal gain like some of his predecessors.
He says that the Taoiseach’s family will like a little more time with his family now.
“Good health to you and yours in the years to come,” he concludes.
Ruth Coppinger up next, who says that she won’t engage in “fake backslapping”.
She says she is bemused at his mention of Michael Davitt.
She goes straight on the attack, by mentioning the housing crisis, the gardaí and other issues.
“One issue sums it all up,” she says.
She talks about the story that emerged yesterday about the pregnant child refused an abortion.
“You did nothing to make sure [X-case] wouldn’t happen again,” she says.
People are outraged about this, she says.
The Ceann Comhairle has interrupted.
He says that what Coppinger is saying is completely at odds with what should be spoken about today.
She rolls back, and says that she hopes that “reactionary policies” goes with Kenny.
Coppinger says that a new time may be on the way.
We need a movement to separate church and state, she says.
“We can’t trust the people in this Dáil to ensure this will not happen again.”
No applause for Coppinger.
Maureen O’Sullivan up next. She’s critical of the slogan “Keep the Recovery Going”.
On a personal level, she says that Kenny was personable and had a good sense of humour.
She acknowledges his apology to Magdalene Laundry victims, and his contribution to people in her constituency.
“You listen and took on board what was happening, and I trust your successor will do the same.”
Thomas Pringle also wishes the Taoiseach well.
He says that the recovery could have benefitted the many, and not just the few.
“Your legacy could have been so much more,” he says.
Michael Healy-Rae up next.
He says his father admired Enda Kenny.
You will have more time to do the Ring of Kerry cycle now, he says.
You can go in for a pint.
He says he can watch Kerry win the football and take some notes back to Mayo.
On a more serious note, he says the Irish people suffered a tough time.
He says more work needs to be done “not in a critical way, but a positive way,” he says.
Michael Harty, TD for Clare, says that Kenny has mastered the ability to use three minutes to avoid answering a question.
“I think you’re a decent, honest man without any taint of corruption,” he says.
Social Democrat Róisín Shortall next.
She acknowledges his significant contribution to Irish politics and Irish life.
“But we come from two very different political traditions,” she says.
She says he has devoted his entire adult life to politics. “A remarkable record,” she says.
Kenny always remained upbeat and positive, she says. He made a lot of significant sacrifices for which we should express gratitude, Shortall says.
She thanks Kenny’s family should also be thanked for their sacrifices.
“Best wishes to you.”
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said that Kenny has a great energy and commitment to hard work.
“You should that collaborative, courteous approach,” he says.
If you ask a family what happened, you always get a different account, Ryan says.
He says Kenny clearly had a central role in “taking the baton” on the financial crisis in 2011.
Ryan said Michael Noonan had a similar outlook to Brian Lenihan on the issue.
“Holding it together and stopping it falling is important,” he says of Kenny.
We need bigger, longer term thinking on the environment, for example. You could lead that, he says to Kenny.
So there we have it. The end of an era as Taoiseach Enda Kenny steps down.
He received praise from many parts of the chamber, including from Fianna Fáil and Labour.
Even Gerry Adams was somewhat positive, saying that he would miss Kenny’s “jizz”.
He did face criticism, however, from the likes of Adams, Ruth Coppinger and others on the legacy of his leadership.
It’s very much out with the old, and in with the new then.
Enda Kenny is gone, and Leo Varadkar will become Taoiseach tomorrow.
There’s a standing ovation from all in the Dáil now as Enda shakes hands with all around him.
Look at them there, they’re all queuing up to shake his hand.
They’re all queuing up to get out of there now, as the crowds disperse.
On the right of the picture, however, it looks very much like Joan Burton wants to grab Leo Varadkar for a word.
So what happens now?
Enda Kenny is still Taoiseach, technically, until Leo wins the vote and becomes the leader of the country tomorrow.
He’s set to visit President Michael D Higgins in the Áras later today to formally tender his resignation.
This video tweeted by the Áras earlier lays it out nicely:
Incidentally, Micheál Martin was the first to rush over to shake Kenny’s hand at the end of proceedings.
There were more handshakes outside the Dáil chamber, as he makes his way to Government buildings with his family.
The Solidarity party have tweeted, criticising the “back slapping” and the “white wash” of Kenny’s record in the Dáil today.
And there we have it.
Enda Kenny has bid a fond farewell as Taoiseach of Ireland.
While he was praised for his achievements, a number of TDs chose to focus on the legacy that Kenny leaves behind as a negative one.
As a general, however, the theme of Kenny as a friendly, humorous and principled man emerged from all sides of the house.
Like him, loathe him or otherwise, Enda Kenny has now left the stage.
Join us tomorrow, when Leo Varadkar is all but certain to become the next Taoiseach of Ireland.
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He was visionless and passionless, except in the pursuit and retention of political power.
If Enda is your political hero, you obviously need a day out from your secure ward.
all enda did was heap a debt on to the children of this state enda and noonan will not be missed
@Tony Daly: he was desperately trying to make a quote that would stick, make himself memorable in some way. But he tried so many times, he failed miserably!
@Bobby Phelan: Noonan Looked after Limerick/Shannon Airport, and nobody else.
@Ben Coughlan: And fair play to him-the country needs Shannon Airport-there’s more to this country than the Red Cow to Dublin.
@Tony Daly: parish pomp politics thats exactly whats wrong with this state Tony.Noonan is a snake nothing more.
Good riddance, can’t stand the sight of him.
@Jonny Irish: The grin of an extreme gombeen is Enda in that pic. He is the Father Dougal in the Dail along with Tory boy Leo (remember him in Harry Enfield-”Increase mother? I seen no improvement in your productivity and your cooking and cleaning is below par”. Watch Leo in Harry Enfield 31 sec clip outside a dole office. That is so Leo as a young political 13 year old right winger in the making.
@abcyz: what are you talking about ‘Tory’ boy?
Like Charlie he can claim to have done the state some service, dishing out the pain , while enjoying the Rolls Royce salary and pension. The banks , the EU, and the Commissioner will miss him.
Ask not what you can do for your country but what your country can do for you. Sums Enda up.
@Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: Well, would do the Job?
@Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: Rolls Royce salary ? Not a hope daithi on his salary
42 years in the Dail, 6 years as ‘leader’ thanks to a pack of false promises, and whats his legacy?
Child poverty doubled, homelessness national emergency, trolley crisis, 40 years of banker debt handed to our kids and grandkids, the gap between rich and poor continuing to widen. And all this while the number of millionaires more than doubles and the haves and have mores laugh all the way to the bank.
@The Risen: that goes with also the fact he created this ” oh the value of houses went up! And rent rising at same time he gave full power to bankers to go ahead and throw people out of their homes and also sell out to vulture funds .
This is the same man who said tax someone’s home was immoral and that’s the first thing he did .
He also ignored long enough the economical related suicides whilst taxing and levying the poor penalising the working poor and his ministers for economy and social protection cut people off their benefits with no explanation to reduce numbers to show Angela Merkel . He invented a so called recovery that does not exist . And perpetuated this lie funded by all this money he took off the people .
While the rich bought new cars went on holiday and have a life
@The Risen: Nicely summed up The Risen. Between your post and Wilhelmina’s post just about wraps this brave “leader” up.Its just a pity nobody has the balls to tell him like it is on his last day.As incompetent as he was, where would he be if it wasn’t for his earpiece?
@The Risen: At last we agree on something.
@The Risen: He resigns and the Virgin Mary appears at Knock??? Strange lol.
“Expect plenty of tributes and kind words”. Of course because there are very few in this country who have the courage in this to call a spade a spade.
Enda Kenny brought Fianna Fail back into the fold. Enda Kenny put Enda Kenny before the country and not for the first time.
@Dante Marquinhos: did they not already have that fawning when he did leaders questions. How many times so they need to do it? He was not worse that the previous FF taoiseach, but it would be hard to be that corrupt or selfish. Nothing achieved on his watch that could not have been delivered by a headless chicken. Noonan, on the other hand, can rot in whatever hole or board he ends up in.
Should be in jail for suppressing instead of implementing findings of #MoriartyTribunal and rewarding corrupt crony with billions of state assets inc #SiteServ #Topaz #IrishWater -water meter contracts (still ongoing) contracts worth one billion alone -plus ordering all state agencies inc garda, armed forces, judiciary etc to buy their fuel from…Topaz. Corruption of the highest order.
Meanwhile corruption eats at the soul of our society as the rich and the well-connected walk free from our politicised, biased courts.
NO ONE A SHOULD BE ABOVE THE LAW.
Soon to be rewarded with an EU role for his service.
Endas face in the pic just shows the contempt he holds us in with the banking debt he let EU foist on us with no process on the gamechanger himself and champagne socialist Eamon Gilmore announced nearly 5 years ago to the day now.
Also that smug smile is the contemptuous face of smug Enda’s massive lump sum & massive pension after himself & Labour liers especially Joan,Rabbitte & Gilmore shamelessly only went after the poorest & most ill citizens during their 5 regressive budgets from 2011-16. FF had two thirds of the cuts done before FG&Labour & FF atleast where alot fairer in their austerity but still awful.
Listen to security analysis Tom Clunen on last Tuesdays RTE Late Debate giving a really dignified account of his disabled son & the cuts that Enda and Leo foisted on them 2011-16.
Good crop of whingers on here today.
@Powerabbey: Good crop of realists on here today
@John Ryan: we can see the truth we feel it in our pockets struggling away to keep going on the richy rich the plastic Torys the FG supporters their “reality” is way diverse from the real deal here
@John Ryan: you are a loyal whinger.
Worst of luck to him in the future
Thank the God’s, now lets call for a GE before the sky is painted.
Good riddance to enda Kenny,he was a terrible taoiseach,and brought shame on the office.
Dear Enda,
Thanks very much for all you’ve done for me and my friends.I will be eternally grateful to you.Good luck in your retirement.
Your buddy
Seanie Fitz
P.S. See you in Marbs soon.
Never a fan. Didn’t envy what he faced. His best moment was schooling Trump in front of the world.
@Honeybadger197: LOL! What, the same trump he pilloried when it looked like hilary was going to win?
@The Risen: Did you miss the speech? I recommend you watch it: https://youtu.be/Aja2QnROOhs
@Honeybadger197: Of course I watched it. American sitcoms are some of my very favourite things….
@The Risen: Where was the humour? I must have missed that bit?
@Honeybadger197: Yep.
@The Risen: You’ve lost your edge jammin’. Enjoy retirement :)
@Honeybadger197: the hippocritical speech given by a man whose government oversee’s direct provision? Yeah, vest moment. Cynical move by a cynical man who should be pilloried not plauded.
Nauseating listening to the likes of Martin and Adams talking about him like he is the saviour of Ireland. They should take a look at the mess he is leaving behind him.
@Eamonn Sheen: just goes to show that despite all the posturing, Adams/sf are the same as the rest of them. Fg/fg/lab/sf – party and self interest/gain before people.
Will no one stand up and call him and that leech noonan for what they are? Is there no one?
@William Clay: they are all alike . Like divorce lawyers they say one thing this week another next and then go out to lunch together on your dough .
Enda will be missed by all. He led the cleaned up and the mess left behind by FF. A true Irishman who will be up there with Dev & Michael Collins in our history books
@Matt Taylor: “He will be missed by all “-Are u for real-He will be missed all right-like a pain in the head.
@Bennythekid: yes by all. He was a powerful Commander in Chief. Sad day
@Matt Taylor: He couldn’t command a piss up at a brewery.
@Matt Taylor: FF destroyed the economy of the country, of that there is no doubt. Enda Kenny destroyed society.
The biggest liar, fantasist, friend of banks, vulture funds and corporations the country has ever seen. A sell out to Europe, a big friend of Dobby, keep him from facing the consequences of the Moriarity Tribunal.
We can add a friend of the corrupt.
Contemptuous of the ordinary citizens.
@Matt Taylor: Deluded moron.
@Matt Taylor:
a coward and an a**lick.He’ll miss himself.
Thats nice of him
maybe after he can meet the The man with two pints and have a chat, you know about the Army and the banks and those sort of stories!
Watching the footage of Frances “Satan” Fitzgerald sitting beside Kenny makes me feel profoundly nauseous
His own ministers stabbed him in the back, ousted him and are now lining up to heap praise on him. Varadkar was the worst of them. Tried to wriggle out of the Dept of Health because it was too tough and was putting him in the limelight in a negative way. Affecting his chances of taking out the boss. Now listen to him. Enda’s practically the best thing that happened the country since the electric grid. What a sneaky, conniving little man. Thankfully he’s only going to be in the job until FF pull the plug in November.
@Tommy Roche: If only we could depend on FF but Mehole Martin hasn’t the guts to call an election. He’s now into bullying the smaller parties for having too much speaking time. But they are elected by the people so have a right to speak. Even if it Shite talk
Sickening stuff from a man who promised so much and delivered so little. The mans legacy will be paid for by our great grandchildren…
Thank goodness for the Tusla/Maurice McCabe scandal for forcing IndaKinny out of the FG leadership & his job. If he hadn’t been caught out for telling one lie too many, he would have still been Taoiseach tomorrow, that’s for sure!
Enda’s idea of Ireland has only 26 counties. He’s no patriot.
@Tír Eoghain Gael: What’s your solution so, take them back against the wishes of the people living in them? That’ll go down well.
@Scundered: As opposed to your solution of keeping the country divided against the wishes of the people? Cos that went well too didn’t it?
@Tír Eoghain Gael: wishes of the people???
Sold out to euro banks no balls
A career politician who could hardly string 6 words together ,gone to enjoy his pensions or get onto a board of a large company that pays very little tax in Ireland , Good riddance to him
His egoistical speech akin to Haugheys
“I’ve done the country a service and they know it ”
Utter poppycock
For the amount of people that whinge about him, some of you must have voted him in. So deal with the consequences.
Utterly repulsive man, those who followed the gravy train and had they’re snouts in the trough were looked after, everyone else was shafted, water charges, austerity, garda scandal etc, etc, etc could be here all evening one of the worst of all time
All European countries even Britian would be glad to have such a prime minister…Much better than Cameron and with help of Trioca got economy out of recession…Biggest mistake was not having Senate vote again when people made such a stupid decision…
@John003: He followed the troika plan agreed with FF, and it was the hard work and suffering of the masses which turned things around while enda was having his head rubbed.
Yeah, some achievement all right…..
@The Risen: Yes we know SF would have done so much better……Masses should try Northern Ireland where SF used to be in power dole is half what it is here
@John003: don’t worry wait and see “the Europe “will have him he will get himself a nice cushy €€€€ Jobie in Brussels just like them others do
All the tributes he go today from TDs from all sides is not reflected in the comments from the common men and woman of this battered country.
@Francid Dooley: that’s because they all have big fat pensions to look forward to and sure they’re all going on their jolly days soon ….sure why would you be in a bad mood sure school’s almost out for all the ex teachers…..
Good riddance glad to see the back of him
Hopefully its quickest good bye and hopefully wont have to listen to his bullshit lies anymore
@Richard Doherty: nah we be listening to that other evil despicable tw*t another Margareth Tatcher wanna be Varadkar. While we listening his ministers will empty our already empty pockets and instead of “tightening your belt ” this time he will say – eat your belt . Cause there be no chance of you being allowed pay bills and stupid invented double taxes and levies that he will come up with . While his mates the rich are having fun with your money
His favourite dinner was a dry roast… that is not acceptable best he’s gone.
Well this is something, the last time I saw something as rabid as this was the Brexit crowd who complained about everything but stood for nothing and their politicians have been trying to deal with it ever since. It is a strange combination of being conformists and contrarians at the same time but such a stance come from those who have convictions about everything as long as it creates chaos – sort of parish politics on steroids.
I’d like to strike a balance here. Clearly he’s not everyone’s friend but he did do some good in my opinion.
The country was a shit show when he took over. Steadied the ship and left us all better off whether you like it or not. It’s a fact.
A disgrace to the Country
@niall: Some whingers must have voted him in though
A true f**kin eejit
A village idiot
@Robbie Redmond: Now IndaKinny’s free to take up the job as some village in his homeland of Mayo is crying out for someone like him!
What exactly is he doing in that picture? Suggestions anyone?
A coward a criminal and an idiot.Inflicted austerity on the weakest, caused suicide,evictions, emigrated thousands. Enjoy your 20 pensions gangster!
Ridiculous picture shows a bias in this supposed unbiased piece. Cheap.
The man with 2 pints in one hand????????????????????????????????????
He was a reluctant TD and an accidental Taoiseach, that is about the kindest thing I can say about him..
Narcissistic fool. Was in attendance at one of his talks and as soon as he was finished he was away with the fairies for the rest of the function paying no attention whatsoever to the other speakers who included the tainaiste. In a complete world of his own. Spineless and weak. If he truly was a leader we’d be paying for and conserving water by now. Instead he leaves behind as big a mess and he found.
Cue abuse
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