It is with regret that I ask the House to pass a vote of sympathy to Senator Paschal Mooney, his mother and his family, on the death of former Senator Joe Mooney. Senator Mooney was here at the Order of Business this morning and I am sure he must have been shocked to get the news later on during the day. The former Senator Mooney served in this House between 1961 and 1965 and was a very well known figure throughout Ireland. I wish to formally pass a motion of sympathy to Senator Paschal Mooney and to the wife and family of the late Senator Mooney.
Death of Former Member: Expression of Sympathy.
I also wish to be associated, on behalf of the Fine Gael Party and on my own behalf, with the vote of sympathy to Senator Paschal Mooney and the Mooney family. I endorse what the Leader of the House has said about the former Senator.
The Independent group also wish to be associated with the vote of sympathy to Senator Mooney's family.
I would like to be associated with the votes of sympathy to Mrs. Eva Mooney and to Senator Paschal Mooney on the death of former Senator Joe Mooney. Joe Mooney was a Member of this House from 1961 to 1965 as a nominee of the former Taoiseach, Seán Lemass. He was a member of Leitrim County Council for more than 40 years and was also a member of many of the county and regional committees throughout the same period. He was known for his great interest in tourism and also for his great pride in County Leitrim. He always availed of every opportunity to promote the county. He will also be remembered for being the only person to keep the An Tóstal festival running since its inception in 1954.
Joe Mooney took great pleasure in the fact that he gave many Irish artists their first launching pad to fame and glory. He will be remembered for having discovered the now international Irish stars, Foster and Allen, at the An Tóstal festival in 1978. He was a most unassuming and unselfish man who never used his position for personal achievement or gain. He was a most approachable public representative and his constituents found a sympathetic ear when they called on him no matter what hour of the day or night. He has a great sense of humour and was very lighthearted in his approach to life. I will miss him as a friend and as a politician but most of all as a great adviser to me in my capacity as a Senator.
All Members on this side of the House wish to be associated with the votes of sympathy.
As a Senator from a neighbouring county. I wish to be associated with the tributes that have been paid to the late Joe Mooney. I was saddened this afternoon to hear the tragic news of his untimely death. I would like to join in the expression of sympathy to his son, our colleague, Senator Paschal Mooney, and also to his widow, Mrs. Eva Mooney.
As other speakers have said, Joe Mooney had a long and distinguished career as a public representative. He was a member and former chairman of Leitrim County Council and he served with distinction for a number of years as a Member of this House. His record as a public representative is one of outstanding service to his native County Leitrim and to his country. He was associated with the development of many projects of an economic and tourism nature in his native county and indeed he initiated many of these projects himself.
Joe Mooney was a great advocate of utilising and exploiting to the maximum all our many indigenous resources. He realised the potential of these resources for job creation and economic development. His support for the coal fired generating station in Arigna, for tourism in Leitrim and for projects such as Knock Airport were wholehearted and sincere. During his lifetime he was honoured on many occasions and in various ways by the people of his native County Leitrim. Today I am sure his passing will be mourned not alone in County Leitrim but throughout the country. He was a true Irishman and a true patriot. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a ainm.
As Cathaoirleach, I would like to be associated with the remarks of everybody here and I would like to send condolences on behalf of the Clerk and the Assistant Clerk of the Seanad and indeed all the staff of this House to Senator Mooney. We send our condolences and our sincere sympathy to Mrs. Mooney who obviously would not have been prepared for what happened, and to the rest of his family.
Members rose in their places.