I rise to pay tribute to the late Joe Sherlock, friend and comrade over many years, and an outstanding representative of the people.
Three weeks ago when I attended his funeral in Cork and stood at his graveside, I was struck by the great affection that the people of Cork had for Joe Sherlock and the great respect they had for him. I remember in particular, when the funeral was over, people who had gathered in the cemetery simply standing in silent respect for somebody who had served the people of Cork so well. That was not surprising because Joe Sherlock had been continuously a public representative for 40 years serving as town councillor, member of Cork County Council, Member of Dáil Éireann and Member of Seanad Éireann.
He was elected to this House in 1981 as the sole representative of the Workers Party. It was a great challenge not alone to be a new Member of the House but to be the sole representative of a political party at a particularly politically turbulent time in the history of this country. His was never an easy road in politics. He lost his seat in 1982, regained it in 1987, retained it in 1989, lost it again in 1992, won it back in 2002, serving in the Seanad in the intervening period from 1993 to 1997.
One of the things of which Joe Sherlock was particularly proud was chairing the proceedings of this House as an Acting Chairman. His work as a representative was not confined to politics. He was also an active trade unionist. He was, for many years, secretary of the Mallow No. 2 branch of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union, representing the workers in the Irish Sugar Company in Mallow where he worked and participating in the representation nationally of sugar company workers throughout the country.
Joe Sherlock was passionate about politics, sometimes a little too passionate. He was intolerant of bureaucracy standing in the way of the rights of the people he represented. He had a great commitment to many issues, for example, Mallow General Hospital, on behalf of which he campaigned for many hears. He did not have long to enjoy his retirement from this House but he was particularly proud of the election of his son, Seán, to succeed him. In many respects, therefore, he died a happy man.
Bhí grá faoi leith aige don Gaeilge agus do cúrsaí cultúrtha i gcoitinne. Nuair a bhí sé i mBaile Átha Cliath i rith na seachtaine dos na suíonna Dála, téadh sé go minic go dtí na hamharclanna agus na ceolárais ar fud na cathrach. Tírghráthóir ab ea Joe Sherlock, i ndáiríre. Cáilliúnt mór is ea a bás don Lucht Oibre agus go háirithe dá chlann. Ba mhaith liom mo chómhbhrón agus cómhbhrón Páirtí an Lucht Oibre a ghabháil lena chlann — Joseph, Úna agus ár chómhghleacaithe, an Teachta Seán Sherlock.