Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he wants his lasting legacy to be as the national leader that got us through Covid.
Mr Martin has said this is still top of his agenda when asked about what he thinks will be seen as his successes and failures when he finishes up as Taoiseach next year.
The Taoiseach said that he also wants solving the housing crisis to be a legacy he would like to leave behind when he moves on.
But he also said that the freeze on house building during Covid was one of his biggest regrets, because housing is still so badly needed.
Mr Martin highlighted the creation of a new Government department, Higher Education, as an achievement he is especially proud of.
He said that the Department of Higher Education, Innovation and Innovation will be a driving force behind economic growth for the next 50 years.
Mr Martin was speaking to reporters during the annual Christmas roundtable interview.
He said: “Getting the country through Covid is obviously my clear agenda as Taoiseach.
“As safely as we possibly can, in terms of lives, in terms of the economy, so far as regards to other countries we have done better than most.
“We've clearly made our mistakes too in relation to that, but I think in an overall perspective it's fair to say Ireland has done relatively well in managing what has been a terrible pandemic.
“The other key agenda items for me is the housing agenda and making sure we can change the trajectory of housing policy once and for all - and I think we have initiated that with Housing for All, we now have to deliver it, we are making progress now, and I want to see that through.”
Mr Martin also highlighted the importance of childcare, climate change and health as key policy areas, but then he picked out his favourite Government department.
“So those remain the key areas, also the establishment of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research and Innovation I am particularly proud of, and I believe it's worked very hard in terms of further education and apprenticeships since its establishment and third level.
“To me it is the key engine for economic development over the next 50 years in terms of the research and innovation part of that department, because that's what will make Ireland a location of choice for continued investment but also giving us the capacity to develop our own companies to become the companies that deliver solutions to the global economy and the -global society.”
On regrets, Mr Martin cast his mind back to the general election of February 2020, where Fianna Fáil underperformed, returning only 38 seats when the polls had them heading for around 50.
He said: “Yeah, we could have done the election better, could have done the election better, we could have, yeah.”
