Deputies will have learned, with profound regret, of the death last night, after a brief illness, of Deputy William Norton. Go ndéana Dia Trócaire ar a anam.
He first became a member of Dáil Éireann in February, 1926, at the early age of 25 years and since 1932 he has sat continuously for the Kildare and Carlow-Kildare areas. During all those years he was one of the outstanding personalities of Dáil Éireann. He was leader of his Party from 1932 until 1960. He was Tánaiste in the two Governments in which his Party participated and he filled ably the posts successively of Minister for Social Welfare and Minister for Industry and Commerce. He has been for many years a member of the Council of State.
All his working life was connected with the Post Office in which he was employed for ten years before becoming General Secretary of the Post Office Workers Union in June, 1924. The members of his Union will remember him for the part he played in gaining many improvements in wages and conditions of service for Post Office staffs and in the wider sphere he will always be associated with the drive for better relations between management and staff.
Those of us who have been fellow-members of this House with him for many years will remember him as an earnest and vigorous contributor to debates. On every major issue he had something of value to say and said it with dignity and sincerity, which earned him the respect of all members and not least of the Deputies who were unable to agree with all he said.
Deputy Norton will be sadly missed by all of us here and by his constituents for whom he worked tirelessly.
I ask you, Sir, to convey the sympathy of Dáil Éireann to his widow and family.
Members rose in their places.