Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 14 Nov 1923

Vol. 2 No. 5

SIR HORACE PLUNKETT'S RESIGNATION.

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

I have now got to read to the Seanad a communication which I received from Sir Horace Plunkett. It was dated on the 16th October, but owing to the adjournment of the Seanad as a tribute to the memory of Deputy Philip Cosgrave and Senator McPartlin, there has been no opportunity of bringing it before the Seanad until now. The letter is as follows:—

"MY DEAR GLENAVY,

"After too protracted but earnest thought, I have come to the definite conclusion that I am no longer justified in remaining upon the Senate. I therefore place my resignation in your hands and ask you to take the proper steps to have the vacancy filled. I wish to tender to you, to the Vice-Chairman and the members my grateful thanks for your kindness to me at my two attendances and your indulgence in regard to my many absences. To you all, as well as to myself, it is due that I should state the reasons for the course I have taken. They are two, and can be briefly summarised:—

"(1) The Senate may, if its members give sufficient thought to the problems submitted to them for discussion, and disinterested advice to the Government and the people, build up and exercise a great influence for good. It is a small body and cannot afford to have members who are unable to attend at least a majority of its sittings. I could not do this for reasons of health in the near future, and do not believe that such attendance will ever be the best way of rendering that service to my country, which will continue to be the chief aim and object of my life for the days I may be spared to see.

"(2) My work lies in the sphere of voluntary effort—especially organised voluntary effort—and not in that of legislation or public administration. It is true that, when much younger, I represented an Irish constituency for eight years in the British Parliament. I presided over the Irish Convention, worked for the Dominion settlement (without the partition that had to be) and accepted the honour of a nomination to the Senate. But in the first case I was seeking State assistance for agriculture and industry. This came with the creation and endowment of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, of which I was the working head for its first seven years. The other political activities were dictated by the recognition that, failing an Anglo-Irish settlement, all the work I wished to do would come to nought. I joined the Senate from a wish to take some small part in supporting the Free State Government, well knowing the personal inconveniences my doing so might cause. I would not leave it now if I could be reasonably suspected to be thereby safeguarding my person or property. But, as things are, I do not wish to make a bad precedent in our public life by occupying a position the duties of which I cannot adequately discharge.

"I need only add my earnest wish that the fellow-countrymen with whom I shall be no longer officially associated will realise the high ideal of public service they have set before them.

"Yours sincerely,

"HORACE PLUNKETT."

To that letter I replied:—

"MY DEAR SIR HORACE,

"I read your letter with very great regret, in which I am certain every member of the Senate will share. I should have asked you to reconsider your determination were it not for your statement that your conclusion was definite. I shall of course communicate the contents of your letter to the Senate, and have only to add that I welcome your assurance that resignation of your seat will not involve any interruption in your constant devotion and unselfish service in the interests of your country."

Mr. W.B. YEATS

If I am in order, I wish to say how much the whole Seanad regrets Sir Horace Plunkett's resignation. I understand that the establishment of every technical school and agricultural college in this country is the result of his efforts, and we know that the methods of organisation which he perfected in Ireland have spread to a good many countries. In Ireland he organised, I think, 180,000 farmers into his organisation. If I remember rightly the last public letter of President Roosevelt, when he was President of the United States, was a letter of thanks to Sir Horace Plunkett for his great services to the organisation of agriculture in the United States. We, here, forget sometimes how great his work has been and how much honourable fame it has brought to this country.

Mr. T.W. BENNETT

I think we might consider whether it might not be reasonable to ask Sir Horace Plunkett to reconsider his determination to resign from the Seanad. I have not before me the exact words of his letter, but running through it was a great regret that he could not give the attendances which he felt were essential to the fulfilment of his duties as a Senator. Whilst agreeing that these are essential, I feel that Sir Horace Plunkett in his sphere, which largely takes him to America, might still help us in that great country in matters with which we might not be in the closest touch here, and by his thought and counsel be of advantage to us. Senator Yeats has alluded to his great activities. They are many. He organised the Irish farmers for better farming, better business and better living. I think the results of his activities are observable all through the land in that respect and will continue to live long after he and we have left this sphere. The Department of Agriculture was his child, as was the Congested Districts Board. These many activities lead me to think that even though he could attend but rarely, yet working outside and giving occasional attendance— which I am sure he would do—his actual membership of the Seanad would be to the advantage of the country which he has so loved and to which he has given thoroughly devoted service. For that reason I will venture to move that we ask Sir Horace Plunkett to reconsider his decision and not to resign from the Seanad at this stage.

The EARL of MAYO

I should like to say a few words with regard to the resignation of my old friend, Sir Horace Plunkett. We were boys together. I have known him for many years. There is one thing that he has not mentioned in his letter, and that is, the getting together of the Recess Committee. That Committee was really the beginning of Sir Horace Plunkett's work and was the recognition of his work in co-operation. I do not say that he had not done something before that, but that put before the world, and especially Ireland, the fact that Irishmen of all parties had got together to work on that Committee. I can only say that I agree with everything that Senator Bennett and Senator Yeats have said about Sir Horace Plunkett, and I can only re-echo what you, Sir, have said in your letter, that we hope that Sir Horace Plunkett will continue the good work that he started in this country. We in this Seanad must remember that Sir Horace Plunkett has been consulted with regard to co-operation by almost every leading man in Europe and America, except, of course, from Denmark, where the system of co-operation has been carried on most successfully for very many years. I am afraid my old friend will not come back amongst us here. I am glad to tell you his health is very much better. I think it must be very much better, because I saw an excellent letter from him in the Times the other day, dated from his house in London. I could not let this occasion pass without expressing my regret that we shall not see him here again, because I do not think we shall see him sitting here in our Seanad again.

Colonel MOORE

I would not like this occasion to pass without saying a few words. I have had many communications extending over a great many years with Sir Horace Plunkett. When the co-operative movement was beginning, I know the zeal and energy he put into it. Everybody knows that. We know that he practically made the co-operative movement in Ireland, and even elsewhere to a great extent, and not that movement alone, but that he helped every movement that was for the good of Ireland. I have not always been in entire agreement with him on various matters, but I think everyone recognises his devotion to Ireland and the work and labour he gave so unselfishly, without any hope of gain or reward. So many things have happened in the last few years in Ireland that we are inclined to forget some things, but those of us who remember, know that Sir Horace Plunkett has done great and good work for Ireland.

Sir THOMAS GRATTAN ESMONDE

May I say how deeply I regret that Sir Horace Plunkett's health has compelled him to sever his connection with the Seanad. I think it is a great pity, when our country is struggling to her feet, that the Seanad should lose the services of a man who has given his whole life, with absolute disinterestedness, to further Irish interests. I do not know whether Senator Bennett has made any proposition, inviting Sir Horace Plunkett to reconsider his determination, but if he has done so I would like to support it. I think it is the least compliment we could pay to a very distinguished man and a very honest patriot. Perhaps the Seanad might see their way to give Sir Horace Plunkett leave of absence. That might be a way out of the difficulty if the Seanad thought it a good way of treating the question. I think some steps should be taken to convey to Sir Horace Plunkett the knowledge of how high the Seanad appreciate him and of how much they regret his loss.

Mrs. STOPFORD GREENE

I do not think it is possible for any friend of Ireland to let this occasion go by without paying an earnest tribute to Sir Horace Plunkett. I do not think there is anybody in Ireland who has given such devotion and personal service as well as his finances with absolute disregard to his own interests, for the good of this country. There has been in him a purity of aim and a nobility of action throughout. No disheartenment, it did not matter to him if it was defeat or failure from the personal point of view, deterred him. In all he did his one thought was of this country. Therefore, I think whatever resolution is come to by the Seanad, it is impossible to record in too warm terms our sense of the devotion of a good man.

Sir NUGENT EVERARD

As one of Sir Horace Plunkett's old colleagues in his co-operative work, I think it would ill-become me if I did not add my voice, as I believe it is the wish of the Seanad to ask him to reconsider his resignation. I know the difficulties of his position. I know that he has been in failing health for some years, but I also know that he has always put duty to his country first, and that he has faithfully performed his duties even when they must have been torture to him. I do not know a more unselfish patriot, and I certainly join in any resolution that may be passed asking him to reconsider his decision.

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

Of course, personally, no one would more sincerely welcome Sir Horace Plunkett back, but I have reason to know that this is not a hasty step taken by him, but that he has been in consultation with other members of the Seanad for some months past with reference to the subject. Some of them tried to induce him to alter his decision. Consequently when he wrote to me to say that he had arrived at a definite conclusion in the matter I did not think that I could take it on myself to ask him to reconsider that determination. If the Seanad wishes to pass a resolution it is quite within its power to do so. The only thing I suggest is that it ought to be very slow before coming to any conclusion on the understanding that he is not to give attendance here. I think that would be a very unsatisfactory procedure. If there is any reasonable hope that Sir Horace would be able to give some attendance here, so far as I am concerned I would welcome the resolution. From what I know I do not think it is likely that he would alter his decision.

Mr. FITZGERALD

I do not think that the Seanad would be paying Sir Horace Plunkett a reasonable compliment if it did not accept what he believes is his own mind. He is a man who knows his own mind. There is no resolution which it could pass which would pay sufficient compliment to him for the work he has done for the country. In doing that I do not think that we should add any note by which we might make it possible for him to think that he had not discharged his duty in the past and that we wanted him to do something further in the future.

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

Perhaps I might suggest to Senator Bennett that he would consider that it might be more dignified and more complimentary to Sir Horace Plunkett if he would frame a resolution somewhat to the following effect:—"That the Seanad, while accepting his resignation with regret, desires to place on record its appreciation of the pre-eminent services he has for so many years rendered to his country." I only throw that out as a suggestion. It is entirely a matter for the Seanad

Mr. BENNETT

I am quite in your hands and in the hands of the Seanad. I still have at the back of my mind a hope that Sir Horace Plunkett, zealous as he is and desirous for work himself, feels that he is not in a position to give time and attention to the Seanad. Still his work in the co-operative movement will bring him back here, and I feel it is quite possible that he would be able to give an attendance which would justify us in keeping him on. For that reason I should like to move a resolution asking him to reconsider his resignation. It will only delay the matter for a week, as I am quite sure he will reply within a week. In the first instance I should like to ask him to reconsider his decision. I therefore propose that resolution.

Sir THOMAS GRATTAN ESMONDE

I second it with pleasure. Motion put and declared carried.