It is with feelings of deep regret that I have to announce to the Seanad the death of our clerk assistant, Mr. Michael J. Dardis, who passed away this morning. Mr. Dardis was associated with the Oireachtas from the date of its institution. At that time, being already an experienced civil servant, he gave valuable assistance in setting up the administrative machinery for the Houses of the National Parliament. There have been few members of either House down along the years who have not sought and obtained aid from Mr. Dardis in solving problems arising from parliamentary procedure. His knowledge of the work, his keen judgment and his helpfulness were accompanied by an unobtrusiveness of disposition and an urbanity of manner which made him a very attractive personality. By his death, Senators have lost a faithful and competent official. We pray that God may give rest to his soul. I ask leave to convey to his widow the sympathy of the House.
Death of Clerk Assistant.
Mr. Hayes
I have a sense of very deep personal loss in the death of the clerk assistant of the Seanad. As you have said, a Cathaoirligh, the late Mr. Dardis was one of a number of transferred civil servants who came over in 1922 to Leinster House to do work which was then entirely new. It was work which was very difficult, and which nobody in Ireland had any experience of whatever. In the first and formative years of the Oireachtas, Michael Dardis very often had to do difficult, trying and, indeed, tiring tasks. He and I had for some years intimate daily contacts. I would like to pay tribute to the attention which he paid to his duty, and to the way in which he carried out the principles which needed to be observed by members of a parliamentary staff. Not only did the work need industry but it also needed great resourcefulness, adaptability and tact. The officers of the Dáil and of the Seanad and the officers of the Oireachtas understood themselves to be and have always behaved as servants of the Houses, and of every member of the House of any party, and of indeed no party at all. As you have said, Sir, Michael Dardis went about his work in a very quiet manner. Members of the House have had many occasions to find how helpful he could be in that quiet manner of his. Nobody grasped more firmly the principles of parliamentary procedure and no one showed greater devotion to our parliamentary institutions. He was a good and faithful servant of the Oireachtas and I have no doubt that he has gone to his reward. I would like to be allowed to join with the Cathaoirleach in expressing to his wife the very real sympathy of the House.
I would like to endorse everything which has been said by the Cathaoirleach and by Senator Hayes with regard to the late Mr. Dardis. As one who has had a good few shocks from time to time, I do not remember having had a greater shock than that which I had to-day when I heard of the death of Mr. Dardis. No more efficient, courteous or considerate man could be found. He was always on the job and he was always ready to give advice or assistance of any kind whenever he was called upon to do so. All of us, regardless of Party politics or anything else, will very much regret his passing. I suppose we will all have to be done without from time to time, but I think it will be very difficult to replace the late Mr. Michael Dardis. As long as there are those of us left in the Seanad who knew the late Mr. Dardis, we will always remember him as an officer and a gentleman.
I should like briefly to join with the others who have spoken in tendering my sympathy and the sympathy of those I represent here to the wife of the late Mr. Dardis. I had no very intimate connection with the late Mr. Dardis beyond seeing him going about his work. I do know, however, that he was always ready with his advice and his help whenever they were needed. I wish to tender sympathy to his wife and relatives.
Senators rose in their places.