Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Feb 2018

Vol. 965 No. 2

Death of former Ceann Comhairle: Expressions of Sympathy

In accordance with the usual practice, the leader of the party of the deceased former Member leads the expressions of sympathy. I call Deputy Howlin.

Séamus Pattison was a champion of working people and an outstanding parliamentarian. Following in the footsteps of his distinguished father James, or Jimmy, Pattison, he distinguished himself as a trade unionist, local representative and on the national and international stage. Séamus won his first general election in 1961. His opponents said at the time that it was an accident. Séamus appeared to have a great number of accidents, winning 12 general elections in succession. He was an unequalled constituency worker, working from his base at 6 Upper New Street in Kilkenny. No hour was too late and no day was off limits for his constituents and their issues. In the days before constituency secretaries, his beloved mother worked full time, taking the queries and answering the telephone.

I said yesterday that Séamus was one of a select band of parliamentarians. He knew every Deputy, as he had encountered all of them, from the first to the 30th Dáil. At local level, Séamus had a significant public role. He was a proud member of Kilkenny Corporation and Kilkenny County Council for a remarkable 33 years. He was mayor of his native city on three occasions and twice served as chairman of Kilkenny County Council. It is fitting and appropriate, therefore, that Séamus was made a freeman of the borough city of Kilkenny in 2008. It was my great joy to attend that momentous occasion.

His career was remarkable. He was a Member of the European Parliament, a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, a member of the former British-Irish Interparliamentary Body, Minister of State at the then Department of Social Welfare and a member of the Committee of Public Accounts, but his greatest honour took place in 1997 when he was unanimously elected to the high office of Ceann Comhairle. My personal memories of Séamus are many and varied, but all pleasant and good. I remember his wise counsel and calm reason. He was always loyal to the cause of labour and always intelligent, insightful and clear of thought. I acknowledge the presence of his brother and sister-in-law in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery today.

In recent times Séamus's illness took its toll, but it did not take his dignity, charm or mischievousness. At his funeral yesterday I recounted my last meeting with Séamus when, from his wheelchair, he beckoned me closer. His whispered into my ear: "If you need me to stand, I'll win again." I have no doubt that he would. Ní bheidh a leithéid ann arís.

I offer my heartfelt condolences, and those of the Government, to the family of Séamus Pattison. I also extend my condolences to Deputy Howlin, his colleagues in the Labour Party and all his friends. Séamus Pattison epitomised the spirit of public service that has been the hallmark of our democracy since Independence. He served for an extraordinary 46 years in this House, winning 12 elections in a row. He served as a Minister of State in the early 1980s and also as a Member of the European Parliament for Leinster. However, he said his proudest moment in his political career was the day he was elected Ceann Comhairle in 1997. I am told he was more than a match for the Deputies and only ever made one mistake when he was in the Chair, when he once called on the former Deputy Mae Sexton to speak and accidentally referred to her as Mae West.

As a former Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, I am very aware of the formidable work he did as Minister of State in the then Department of Social Welfare in the Fine Gael and Labour Party Government led by Garret FitzGerald in the 1980s. He believed that we were compassionate but complacent when it came to the issue of eliminating poverty. He was determined to identify the root causes and to try to eliminate them. We continue that work today. One of the reasons Séamus Pattison was so respected by the people of Carlow and Kilkenny was that he was always accessible as a public representative. He liked to tell stories about how constituents would sometimes call around to him on Christmas Day. As a Deputy, a Minister, Ceann Comhairle and father of the House, he served this country with distinction.

We thank him and his family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Ar mo shon féin agus ar son Pháirtí Fhianna Fáil, déanaim comhbhrón le muintir Séamus Pattison faoina bhás. Polaiteoir den scoth ab ea é. D'oibrigh sé go dian dícheallach le fada an lá. Fear macánta, cneasta ab ea é chomh maith. I extend genuine sympathies on my behalf and on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party to the family of Séamus Pattison, including his brothers Joseph, Michael and Monsignor Francis Pattison, and his other relatives, on the loss of such an esteemed family member and colleague. As eloquently articulated by the leader of the Labour Party, Deputy Howlin, Séamus Pattison was, without question, an exceptional politician with an extensive career in local government and national and European politics. In many respects, he was regarded as a father of the Dáil for many years, mentoring many younger Deputies who were on the way up. Perhaps he could have mentored a few more from time to time. My fellow party leaders will understand what I mean by that.

He was a man who understood public service and was generous in offering advice and support. On his passing, we should perhaps reflect on his time in the House. When blood pressures rose in the Dáil and people became angry or there were the usual outbursts, he was unflappable, in particular during his time as Ceann Comhairle. He had an innate understanding that that is what people do in the House from time to time and he would chair proceedings with his normal, calm demeanour and wider sense of perspective, understanding the big picture.

Séamus Pattison served the people of Carlow-Kilkenny for over 46 years in different capacities, which is an extraordinary length of service. He espoused the values of the Labour Party in a very distinguished way and, in particular, as Minister of State for Social Protection from 1983 to 1987. I remember how pleased he was when he introduced the former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to the Oireachtas in November 1998 after the Good Friday Agreement was signed. Those were heady days when there was a real sense of achievement and breakthrough. His sense of social duty and his commitment to people on the ground never left him and he made an indelible imprint on Irish politics. This is the second occasion on which I have heard the anecdote regarding his willingness to run again for the Labour Party. That summed up one of his enduring characteristics: a great and consistent sense of humour. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Ar mo shon féin agus ar son Shinn Féin, déanaim comhbhrón le muintir Séamus Pattison. Chuir mise aithne air sa Dáil thar na blianta. Duine lách, macánta agus béasach ab ea é agus duine a bhí sásta, agus é sa Chathaoir, ligean den díospóireacht nuair a raibh gá leis sin. Tá an ceart acu siúd a labhair romham gur bhain sé sult as an Dáil. Thuig sé cé chomh tábhachtach is a bhí sé a bheith anseo agus cuidigh sé le daoine ó gach páirtí a bhí nua sa phost. Bhí an onóir tuillte aige nuair a ainmnigh muintir Chill Chainnigh é mar saorfhear den chathair. Bheadh sé tuillte ag aon duine tar éis an oiread sin ama a bheith caite aige nó aici i mbun seirbhíse don phobal, agus sin go díreach a thug Séamus faoi.

Dar ndóigh, bhí tréimhse fada aige. Luaigh daoine eile cé chomh fada is a bhí sé sa Dáil agus ar chomhairle nó ar bhardas Chill Chainnigh. Ní dhéanfaidh mé athrá air sin. Ba chara linn ar fad sa Teach seo é agus ní namhaid. Ní raibh raic riamh idir mise agus é ach ba mhinic a bhí sé ina mholtóir ar an raic a bhí idir mise agus daoine eile ar an taobh eile den Teach. Is cuimhin liom go háirithe ceann amháin de na heachtraí sin. Bhí mé agus an t-iarAire, an tUasal Martin Cullen, ag screadaíl i gcoinne a chéile. Bhí Séamus sa Chathaoir agus an t-aon rud a dúirt sé ná, "Now, Deputies." Ba leor sin chun ciúnas a chur orainn nó ar a laghad go bhfeicfiimis ar an méid a bhí ar siúl againn agus go ndíreoimis ar an díospóireacht seachas a bheith ag tarraingt as a chéile. Tá súil agam go mbeidh cuimhní maithe againne ar fad a bhí aithne againn air agus ag a mhuintir. Guím suaimhneas síoraí air. Tá cara caillte ag an Dáil.

On behalf of the Independents 4 Change technical group, I offer condolences to the family of former Deputy Séamus Pattison, including his brother and sister-in-law who are here today, the people of Carlow and Kilkenny and, in particular, his Labour Party colleagues. I first got to know Séamie in the early or mid-1980s. We sometimes had different views on things. I was a member of the Labour left co-operative, which had a particular view about the development of the party, but I always found Séamie to be extremely supportive, kind and sincere and I was very proud to stand beside him as a candidate for the first time in 1989. Many new young Labour Deputies were elected to the House in the famous Labour class of 1992 and we found Séamie to again be very supportive. He was a mentor and at meetings and in committees, he was quiet, self-deprecating at times, very witty and extremely helpful.

We had the same experience during his time as Ceann Comhairle and Leas-Cheann Comhairle. He took particular care to ensure that all backbenchers who wanted to make contributions on the Order of Business would be accommodated, a tradition I am glad is being continued by the current Leas-Cheann Comhairle. As Ceann Comhairle and Leas-Cheann Comhairle, Séamus represented the Oireachtas and the country with enormous distinction with foreign visitors and when he represented us abroad. That he spent 46 years as a Member of the Dáil and the Pattison family spent seven decades representing Kilkenny city and county and County Carlow is a truly remarkable achievement. In the case of Séamus, it arose from his absolute devotion and fabulous work as a servant of his native city and the people of Kilkenny and Carlow. I will always remember him as a kind and gentle man who upheld the best traditions of Irish life. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

I too am glad to be able to say a couple of words, cúpla focal, ar son na Rural Independents. Jackie Healy-Rae, the late father of my colleagues, Deputies Danny and Michael Healy-Rae, was great friends with Séamus Pattison and regarded him as fair, honest and at all times a decent man. Séamus Pattison worked very hard for many decades and was returned 12 times to the Dáil, which is a remarkable achievement. He was a man of the people and very dedicated to his duty as a public representative.

This morning, I spoke to Mr. John O'Connor from Cahir, who was his driver for many years and in recent times. At Mr. Pattison's funeral, Mr. O'Connor told me that he was very dedicated to his constituents and his line of duty. I agree with all that was said about his time as Ceann Comhairle. I was not a Member of the Dáil at the time but he was fair and very equal. I wonder what he would think of the current system involving bingo cards but sin scéal eile.

He was very supportive of the Labour Party organisation and its rural members. He recently came to Ardfinnan, in my county, to launch a book written by Dr. Anthony O'Halloran and we had a great night. He was in ill health at the time but, despite that, he still attended. He saw it as his duty to support Labour Party members in the constituency. Coming from a family of four, his chosen career was public service and he did the State a great service. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

I also wish to be associated with the previous remarks about Séamus Pattison. Coming from the constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny, he was a man who treated everybody the very same. No matter what party one was from, it made no difference to Séamus Pattison. Whether he was an MEP or a Minister of State, he always looked forward to coming home to look after his constituents. As the Taoiseach said, Christmas Day or St. Stephen's Day, Monday or Tuesday, it made no difference to Séamus Pattison. He left a huge mark in the constituency over many years. Reference was made to the fact that he won 12 elections in a row, which in itself is an outstanding achievement. Politics is the poorer for his passing. I pass on my regards to his family who are in the Visitors Gallery.

On behalf of the Ceann Comhairle and on my own behalf, I wish to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the late Séamus Pattison, with whom I served for many years in this House.

I can only describe Séamus Pattison as a gentleman, a statesman and a proud Kilkenny man. There is great sadness as we gather here today to recall and celebrate the life of Séamus Pattison as a Member of this House for many years. He was a former Ceann Comhairle, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, a Minister of State, a Member of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe and, of course, a Member of this House from 1961 to 2007. Déanaim mo chomhbhrón le teaghlach Séamus Pattison, go háirithe Joe, atá anseo inniu, agus Carmel, bean chéile Joe.

Séamus Pattison served as a Member of Dáil Éireann for 46 years and eight months; he has the fifth longest service by anyone in the House. He devoted his life to public service and the betterment of his constituency and the communities of his counties and the State. Séamus Pattison was held in the highest respect by all who knew him. He was highly regarded by the Members of the House but particularly by the staff of the House for whom he had tremendous regard. He held the offices of Ceann Comhairle and Leas-Cheann Comhairle with distinction, fairness and impartiality. He had a unique style that was referred to earlier, which endeared him to all sides of the House. If we want to pay tribute to Séamus in the years ahead, when the Ceann Comhairle or I say "Now, now Deputies", I hope they will respond as they did for Séamus.

Séamus Pattison worked closely with Deputies from all parties in the House and he was a true gentleman of utmost character and regard. He respected everyone he encountered in his political career. He leaves a legacy that in many ways may never be equalled. His legacy is one to be extremely proud of, but his own modesty would never allow praise or accolades of any nature, such was his unassuming character.

Today, we honour a life given graciously and without hesitation to public service, to the people of his county and to the people of his country. His life was devoted to helping others. That was the career of Séamus Pattison. Ar dheis lámh Dé go raibh a anam

Members rose.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal dílis.

Top
Share