I should like to express my party's sympathy to former Deputy Paddy Keaveney's widow and family.
As the Taoiseach said, while Deputy Keaveney's career here was brief, he continued to have a very distinguished career at local level, as a county councillor, as a very committed public representative of the people of Donegal and his constituency. He was elected to this House as an Independent but, later in his career, he returned to the fold, so to speak. Our colleagues from that area speak very warmly of his unceasing work and efforts on their behalf, with such great vigour, in his career in local government.
At the time of his death — because I was speaking about him on local radio in Donegal — I looked up the Official Report when I verified that subjects on which he spoke here were always those in connection with his constituency, when he did so with great vigour, defending their interests at national and local level. Prior to his death, his daughter took his seat on Donegal County Council and, therefore, the name and work tradition of his family in that area will be lovingly and conscientiously continued.
I wish to record our sympathy to his widow and family and our appreciation of the many long hours of duty he devoted to our party.