Long-serving Fine Gael TD Olivia Mitchell became emotional as she thanked voters and colleagues, in her final speech in the Dáil before her retirement.

The Dublin South deputy who has been a member of the Dáil since 1997, thanked the voters in her constituency for electing her at each general election.

Ms Mitchell said: “I just want to say to them that there hasn’t been a single day that I’ve been in here that I haven’t been conscious of what a really great, incomparable honour it is to represent them here in our national parliament.”

Election adieu

She also wished her colleagues all the best for the election. “I know that none of them, apart from the Ceann Comhairle probably, don’t know what they’ll be doing in a month’s time so I wish them the very best.”

Ms Mitchell also thanked Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett and his predecessors for “their courtesy and guidance and indeed their friendship over the years”.

TDs in the chamber applauded the outgoing deputy as she concluded her short speech in tears.

She asked to make a brief statement, telling the House that she would be in Strasbourg next week attending the Council of Europe.