Govt will be guided by needs of many, not greed of few

The face of Irish politics was transformed by a democratic revolution on 25th of February. With the stroke of a pen in the privacy of a polling booth, you made that revolution happen. In that election, record numbers of Irish people turned to, and chose, Fine Gael and Labour. The people chose our two parties to begin mending the pieces of a fractured society, a broken economy and to provide a sense of collective hope in our shared future. That is the power of democracy. You, the people, are in charge. And now, as a result of your democratic revolution, a new Government comprising the Fine Gael and Labour parties takes on the massive task of trying to turn around the fortunes of this great country. As a Government, we have a secure and stable mandate. We will use it to build a secure and stable Government. A Government that will restore our country's finances, radically reform an outdated system of administration, and rebuild Ireland's reputation on the international stage. That same new Government will approach the challenges ahead with a sense of humility, but also with a sense of hope. I know that if our new Government can match your spirit, courage and determination which I saw in the course of the recent election, our country can be confident in the prospects of recovery. That is the type of Government I plan to lead. Formed in a spirit of partnership and commitment to public service, this will be the hardest-working Government since the foundation of the State. But make no mistake. I know that the challenges facing you, the new Government and our country are unlike any other we have faced before. The path to recovery will not be an easy one. There will be tough times and tough decisions ahead. I am confident, though, that a new Government, guided by the needs of the many rather than the greed of the few, can make a real, positive difference in your life. And that is why the old ways, the old politics that created the crisis from which we seek to release ourselves, will not do. Both Fine Gael and Labour have long recognised this reality. We both campaigned hard and sought and secured a mandate to break from the past and start afresh. Having secured this mandate for change, the backdrop to the new coalition's style of governance will be framed by these new ways, new approaches and new thinking. In all areas of public life, this determination to modernise, renew and transform our country will be evident over time as our shared programme is implemented. The Government will get our economy moving, restore confidence, fix our banking system and support the protection and creation of jobs. The success of our economic plans will lay the foundation for the rest of our agenda for change. In parallel, there is a clear need for our political system to embrace change, share the burden and lead by example. Every section of our society is facing hardship. Our political system, if it is to regain credibility and relevance, must change too. Wider than that, our system of Government must modernise, adapt to new financial circumstances and start to deliver better services with ever scarcer resources. As a country, we deserve a new hope, a fresh start from the failed politics of the recent past. Working together with all sections of Irish society, I know that we can realise that hope, benefit from a new start and emerge a stronger, wiser and more caring society as a result. Enda Kenny is Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael.