Members of the House will have learned, with deep regret, of the death this morning of Deputy Thaddeus Lynch. Go ndéana Dia trócaire are a anam.
Although we were aware that Deputy Lynch had been in declining health for some time, his death came as a shock to us all.
The late Deputy entered the Dáil in 1954 for the constituency of Waterford and was re-elected at each General Election since then. In 1939, he became a member of Waterford Corporation and he served as Mayor of Waterford on two occassions. He was also a member of Waterford Harbour Board, the Vocational Education Committee and many other important local bodies and cultural organisations. He was a delegate to the Interparliamentary Conference in Helsinki in 1955.
Deputy Lynch was an extremely popular member of this House and, although his contributions to our debates were always lively and frequently controversial, his personal popularity was not diminished for this reason, and respect for his sincerity was shared by all Deputies. We deeply regret his passing. His constituents will sorely miss his continued devotion to their interests.
I would ask you, Sir, to convey to his widow and family the deepest sympathy of the House in their great loss.
Members rose in their places.