It is with regret that I say the following on behalf of the Houses. Last Friday, the death of our very esteemed former Member and Leader of the House, Eoin Ryan senior, occurred. Eoin was born in Dublin on 12 June 1920 at a time when his father and mother were actively engaged in the War of Independence. His father, Dr. Jim Ryan, was a founder member of Fianna Fáil and attended to James Connolly at the GPO in 1916 when he was a medical student.
Eoin was educated at Presentation College, Bray, and later at Mount St. Joseph's College, Roscrea. He joined the Defence Forces during the emergency years and rose to the rank of captain between 1940 and 1943. He later returned to his studies at UCD, achieving a BA in economics and diploma in public administration. He went on to study at King's Inns and was called to the bar in 1945.
Throughout this time, Eoin had an intense interest in politics although, unlike his father, who was a Minister for most of his 30 years in the Dáil, Eoin was reluctant to enter full-time politics. He preferred putting his views forward in the Seanad and the governing bodies of the party, where he served for many years on the national executive and as vice president of Fianna Fáil. Eoin was first elected to Seanad Éireann in 1957, winning a seat on the Labour panel, although he switched to the Industrial and Commercial panel in 1961. He continued to serve in the Upper House until 1978. For four of these years, from 1965 to 1969, his father was also a Senator serving in the House, after his retirement from the Dáil.
During his long and distinguished career in the Seanad, Eoin served on numerous committees, including the Select Committee on Statutory Instruments from 1957 to 1959, the Committee on Procedure and Privileges from 1973 to 1981, the Dáil and Seanad Legislation of European Communities from 1973 to 1977, and the Committee on State-Sponsored Bodies from 1978 to 1981, of which he was chairman. He was Leader of the Seanad from 1977 to 1981 and leader of the Fianna Fáil group from 1973 to 1977. During his life he displayed qualities of honesty, integrity, wisdom, humility and wonderful self-control. He was an excellent listener and, as a Senator, he set a great example.
Eoin was an ardent supporter of Ireland, playing a full role in European affairs, and he represented Ireland at the Council of Europe in the 1960s. He was also active in the Irish council of the European Movement and was its chairman in the crucial pre-EEC years, 1971 to 1973. In commercial life he will always be associated with the New Ireland Assurance Company of which he was chairman for many years. Other companies of which he was a director at various times included Jefferson Smurfit, Lyons Irish Holdings, the Ulster Investment Bank, PV Doyle Hotels, the Smith Group and Aran Energy. He also served as Governor of the Central Bank after his retirement from politics.
Eoin Ryan's dedication to Fianna Fáil and its aims throughout his long and active life is legendary. As an officer of the party and friend and adviser to many taoisigh and Ministers, his importance to the Fianna Fáil organisation was far greater than his official role. I was privileged to enjoy his friendship and advice through the years. One would wonder how Eoin could give so much time to Joan and their children, his legal career, his political career, his business responsibilities as well as Northern Ireland, Europe and South Africa. He was a true democrat who passionately believed in human dignity, which he saw as a right every citizen of the world should have and he played an active and effective part in the anti-apartheid movement. In spite of his many activities he managed to give a great deal of time to the theatre, arts and to the poet, Paddy Kavanagh.
We can truthfully say of Eoin Ryan that he was a man of great integrity, honesty, compassion and humility. He was a wonderful husband and an excellent father, a truly great Irishman who left a great legacy to the House. On behalf of all Members, the Fianna Fáil group which I lead, and on my own behalf, I extend our heartfelt sympathies and deep regret to his beloved wife Joan, to whom he was married for over 50 years, his sons James, Eoin and Mark, and his daughter Derbhail, as well as his brother Dr. Seamus Ó Riain and his sister Nuala Culligan, to his daughters-in-law and all his grandchildren and friends. Go ndéanadh Dia trocaire ar a anam.