Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Nov 1995

Vol. 457 No. 7

Death of Member. - Death of Former Member: Expression of Sympathy.

Mr. B. Ahern:

I wish to express my regret at the sudden death last Saturday week of a former colleague of Members on this side of the House, Tom Bellew, who came from a long established Louth Fianna Fáil family and was active in local politics up to the time of his death. He was very active in the county council and Dundalk Urban District Council of which he was proud to have been chairman for five years. He also served on the North Eastern Health Board.

For a long time he was a very committed member of Fianna Fáil and was a Member of this House during the early 1980s. When he subsequently left our party he continued to actively serve the people of his area as an Independent in local politics. He was deeply committed to serving the people of Louth and was very active in this regard during his time as a Member of the House. I am glad he served as a TD for the Louth constituency and I derive much satisfaction from the fact that he continued to work hard for the people of his constituency. I have spoken to members of his family and they appreciate the fact that he still had the support of his colleagues.

Tom was a tough political character when he was in the House. When I was party whip he let me know whether he wanted to pair with another Member. Some Members took it easy but Tom was prepared to argue his point. He continued to serve up to the time of his sudden death. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party, I extend our deepest sympathy to his wife, Helen, his sons and daughters and his wider family.

Guidhim beannacht an Tiarna ar chlann Thomáis. Go dtuga Dia na glóire sólás síoraí dá anam.

The Tanaiste:

On behalf of the Government, I extend our sympathy to the family of the late Tom Bellew who served for a short period in this House in 1982. He served the people of Louth as a member of the Fianna Fáil Party and, laterally, as an Independent. I understand that he was decended from a republican family and that his father had been interned in Ballykinlar.

In the short time he was a Member of this House Tom Bellew established a number of friendships that lasted until his untimely death last week. I did not know him well, but I was struck by the tribute paid to him in one of the newspapers last Sunday by Deputy Charlie McCreevy who described him as one of the truest political friends he ever had and as a man who believed in telling the truth and to hell with the consequences. I also remember him as a direct and forthright man.

As a full-time politician, he and his family suffered hardship when he left this House. They will be grieving today at the loss of a husband and father. On behalf of the Government and the Labour Party, I extend our deepest sympathy to his wife, Helen, and all his children.

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): On behalf of the Fine Gael Party, I express our sympathy to the wife and children of the late Tom Bellew who was a Fianna Fáil Member for Louth for just nine months, from February to November 1982. Although he spent a short period in national politics he gave long and extensive service in local politics. He was a member of Dundalk UDC for 21 years, five as chairman. He was elected to Louth County Council in 1979 and also served as a member of County Louth vocational education committee, the North Eastern Health Board, Dundalk Harbour Commissioners and County Louth Enterprise Board. In addition, he was an active member of the joint Dundalk Urban District Council and Mourne District Council committee which reflected his commitment to cross-Border co-operation.

County Louth and Dundalk in particular have lost an able representative at such an early age. On behalf of the Taoiseach and the Fine Gael Party, I offer our deepest condolences to his widow, Helen, his children, Michael, Thomas, Francis, Gerard and Helena and his extended family.

Miss Harney:

It is hard to imagine that Tom Bellew has died at the age of 51. He served as a Member of this House for a short time, but I knew him well because we had a community of interest and soldiered together. Although we had a common interest on that occasion I found him to be in many instances deeply conservative. On the last occasion we met we discussed the abortion information legislation.

He was also a Nationalist and a true public representative. He was forthright, confrontational and controversial. He paid a heavy price for the short time he spent in politics, but he was never compromising and wanted to take a stand. He certainly made an impact in the nine months he spent in Leinster House. On behalf of the Progressive Democrats, I extend our deepest sympathy to his wife, Helen, and his family on his sudden and sad death.

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa):

On behalf of Democratic Left, I convey our condolences to the family of the late Tom Bellew. Although we entered the House on the same day following the February 1982 general election, he was not a man I knew well. Even though we held differing views it is important that this House mark his passing. He served his local community for many years and was one of the many hundreds of men and women throughout the country whose public service is rarely acknowledged outside their own communities. On that basis I convey my condolences to his wife, family and friends.

Mr. Sargent:

On behalf of the Green Party, I extend our sympathy to the wife and family of the late Tom Bellew whom I did not know personally. I am aware, however, from those living in north County Dublin that his influence extended beyond his own community in County Louth. His work and dedication to public life should be acknowledged.

I also wish to extend our sympathy to the wife and family and all who knew and loved a man that I did know, the late Brian Lenihan. It was a privilege to have served alongside a man who had become such a legend in his long political career. It would be a daunting task to consider it in all its complexity, but the photograph of John F. Kennedy in the corridor of Leinster House gives me reason to remember Brian Lenihan's many achievements for visitors to the House.

He was a tireless worker on behalf of his constituents in Dublin West which borders my own constituency of Dublin North. With others, Brian and I were trustees of the Mulhuddart anti-dump campaign. This showed his concern for the interests of those on the margins of society who are all too often forgotten in the greater scheme of things. Members of the Garda Síochána have indicated that they were treated with consideration when he was Minister.

His death closes a chapter in all our lives. During his funeral Mass, when grappling with the logistics of serving communion to the vast throng, the initial reaction of one of the officiating clergymen was to remark "no problem", but he then had to admit that was not the case. That was the legacy of Brian Lenihan, a man who was prepared to deal with any difficulty, no matter how big, with dignity.

Ta deireadh le ré. Go mba fada buan a chuimhne. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Members rose in their places.