THE DÁIL ADJOURNED for the final time today ahead of election campaigns kicking off.
The final day of the 33rd Dáil was spent debating a motion from the Social Democrats on genocide in Gaza, followed by a heated discussion on phone pouches as well as the Tánaiste getting embroiled in a back and forth on being the child of a bus driver.
Today marked the final day of work in Leinster House for a number of retiring TDs who used their time to bid their final farewells to the chamber.
Signing off on his last day as Ceann Comhairle, Sean Ó Fearghaíl said that he had “thoroughly enjoyed the job”.
He told TDs that he could “get a bit frustrated from time to time”, adding that he wanted to wish the exiting deputies “a long and happy and healthy retirement”.
Among them is People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith, who joked about how she is looking forward to “not banging her head off the wall” anymore.
“I have done it for the past nine years and have had enough of it,” she laughed.
“I have fantastic colleagues and we have worked really hard to make a difference,” she said, adding that radical Bills put forward have been blocked by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
Former Labour leader and Wexford TD Brendan Howlin also spoke for the last time in the House today after serving in nine Dáileanna.
“If I can, I want to thank the people of Wexford for giving me the privilege of serving here for 38 years,” he said.
Social Democrats TD Róisín Shortall also gave her last contribution yesterday evening, thanking voters of Dublin North-West who placed their trust in her over a period of 32 years.
Kerry TD Brendan Griffin, one of the 18 Fine Gael TDs retiring from politics, also bid farewell, stating that he wanted to issue a warm, heartfelt thank you to everybody in the Oireachtas.
He said it had been a massive honour to be part of the Oireachtas over the last 14 years.
Griffin said it has been an enormous privilege to serve in the national parliament since 2016.
“I always did my best for people. I am sorry if there were things I did not get done. I am glad there were certain things I did get done.
“Many of us who are here realise that we are only ever passing through Dáil Éireann. We are only here for a while. We do our best while we are here and try to make as much of a positive contribution as we can,” he said.
He told the Dáil when he was first elected, he did not have any children, but said he now has two little boys.
“They are 11 and nine and I am looking forward to being around for the remaining years of their childhood. It is something that has been a massive influence in terms of my decision to leave here,” he said.
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