A tearful Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca brought 16 years of parliamentary work to an end today when she handed in her resignation ahead of her appointment as President.

Her resignation was presented to the Speaker during this evening's parliamentary sitting after a speech in which she almost broke down with emotion.

She expressed her gratitude to those who had elected her and said she intended to reciprocate the confidence which the House was showing in her as President.

I want to be a catalyst of unity of this great people," she said. Disagreements were important, she said, as long as there was mutual respect and tolerance.

The people should understand each other, love and respect their diversity, including their religious diversity, she said.

She thanked the prime minister for having enabled her, over the past year, to serve as Minister of Social Policy, the dream of her life. The social sector needed to be given attention and visibility, she stressed. Otherwise it would be forgotten. The sector also needed to be given more dignity so that more people could be encouraged to specialise in its sub-sectors, including social workers, counsellors, and psychologists.

She laid particular stress on listening to the needs of the children, including the need for parents to be present in their lives.

"Give space and visibility to our children, give them a voice," Ms Coleiro Preca urged the MPs. "The system is stifling the voice of the children. Listen to them, and do not be afraid to change systems," Ms Coleiro-Preca said in a breaking voice.

She underlined the need to continue to improve the sector of children in out-of-home care, those at risk of poverty and unaccompanied minors, including migrant children. "See your children when you look in their eyes" she said. "Consider what they have been through, separation, strife, poverty, crime, hardship, only to end up in a cage here. What would you have done if our country's situation had been like their's?"

It was true, she said, that Malta, as a small country, needed help to support the migrants and efforts should continue in this direction. "Let us redouble our efforts in our call to Europe that we want to give the best to these children, but we cannot do so alone," she said.

Concluding, Ms Coleiro Preca said she always loved her country and she would dedicate her life fully to the people, rising above politics.

"Thank-you all," she said, adding a special thanks to Parliamentary Secretary Franco Mercieca, who had worked in her ministry. She thanked the Opposition and the Government amid applause and was escorted out of the Chamber.

Ms Coleiro-Preca had been a member of the House since 1998 and became Social Policy Minister a year ago after the general election. She previously served as general secretary of the Labour Party.

Members of her family and some of her closest friends were present in the House for her final address.