Before proceeding we will have an expression of sympathy on the unfortunate death of the late Deputy Gerry O'Sullivan.
Death of Member. - Expression of Sympathy.
It is regrettable that our first action is to pay tribute to our former colleague. I will give way to Senator Magner to speak first.
It is an honour for me to pay tribute to Gerry O'Sullivan who was not alone a political colleague but a boyhood friend of mine, my closest friend for well over 35 years. He was without doubt the bravest man I ever met. There is a song which says "You thought you knew me well but you don't know me"; I thought I knew him well, better than anyone, yet during the eight months of his illness he astounded me with his bravery.
I knew he was courageous. We sat together at a branch meeting many years ago — when we both had dark hair — and he told me to run for election to Cork Corporation. I told him to run. He said he did not want to run and I did not want to run. Then he said "I'll run if you will." We both ran and he beat me by 40 votes and was elected. He went on to contest the general election and we were sure we were going to win it — all the vibes were right. I told him not to come to the count until I gave him the word and we thought we were home and dry.
At about midnight it was obvious that we were neither home nor dry, rather we were sinking fast. I rang him and said I was sorry he would not be elected but he replied: "Do not worry, kid, we will come another day." He was elected subsequently and he treated his election in the same calm way. The first thing he did was to go over to the person who had lost; that was typical of him. There was no big display.
He was the happiest Minister I ever met. Normally when one asks a Minister or Minister of State how it is going the usual reply is "It is all right but the work schedule ...I have no time anymore ... etc.". If one asked Gerry how it was going he would reply, "Fantastic, wonderful". He loved the job and he did not want to hide it. He did not pretend he was burdened by the cares of office. He enjoyed it and he did not care who knew it.
I got a 'phone call from him last October. I was in Dún Laoghaire and he asked me to come to his office. I went to see him and he said "We have a problem". I immediately thought something had happened in the party. He then told me he had cancer. What does one say? "It is no longer a death sentence"? We discussed it and he subsequently went into hospital.
The night before he was to be operated on for cancer, he was told he had a bad heart and would have to have a bypass operation before the cancer operation could be done. He took that squarely on the chin as if he was being told he was to have his appendix out. He said: "we will get one operation out of the way and then we will tackle the other." I was dumfounded by the courage he displayed.
On Christmas Eve his kidneys failed. I went to see him and the specialist said he was not going to make it. I visited him in intensive care and he gave me the thumbs up. He told me it was a bridge too far for him, a hill he would not climb. However, he did climb it. His kidneys functioned of their own accord on Christmas Day and he kept going.
I tell this to the House because we know each other as political friends in different parties but how well do we really know each other at the end of the day? We are all capable of great and decent things and the type of bravery Gerry showed.
Gerry died at home last week worrying about his family and still asking questions about what was happening here and what would happen when the session started, knowing well — we discussed this — that he would never see the Houses of Oireachtas or Dublin again. He died with great dignity surrounded by his wife, Bina, and his family. The dignity the family displayed was astounding. The quiet and dignified way the family faced the three days of the funeral was, in many ways, remarkable.
Everything done by political colleagues of all parties was appreciated. When he was in hospital one of the kindest letters he received was from Deputy John Bruton and it was very much appreciated. I told Deputy Bruton this and I wanted to mention it here today. The Minister for the Marine. Deputy Andrews, was a tower of strength. He was one of the kindest people in his dealings with Gerry O'Sullivan. As at the graveside, I happily pay tribute to him again today.
The Tánaiste, Deputy Spring, gave Gerry the best present ever when he appointed him Minister of State. I do not believe the Tánaiste realised what he had done because, as he saw it, he had reached a watershed in his political career. I believe greater things were ahead for Gerry if he had survived. At his funeral there were people from the Army, the Navy, fishermen from County Donegal, those involved in the immigrant hostels in England and colleagues from both Houses from all political parties. The Taoiseach spent over an hour and a half in St. James's Hospital sitting at his bedside, as did members of other parties.
On behalf of his wife Bina who is coping as nobly with her bereavement as he coped with his cancer and subsequent death, I thank Members of the House, specifically my colleagues in the Labour Party, the party leader and others, for their support for Gerry and his family. Everyone in the House recognises that when we lose someone who is good and decent, irrespective of the political badge they carry, we all feel the loss.
The tradition in the House is that only party or group leaders speak on such occasions, but I will allow Members from Cork county or city to comment.
On behalf of the Fine Gael group, I would like to be associated with the moving tribute paid by Senator Magner to the late Gerry O'Sullivan. He reminded us — if we need to be reminded — that politics are about people, how we interact with each other, the friendships we make across party boundaries and the admiration we can have for people, irrespective of party.
Gerry O'Sullivan was the salt of the earth. He was loved by his constituents and respected and liked by Members on all sides of the House. The great tragedy was that he did not have the good health to exploit his great talent as a Minister, a job he cherished and which was taken from him in such an untimely way. Like Senator Magner, we were all united in admiration of his courage through the last difficult time. On behalf of my party, I send our sympathy to his widow and family.
It is unfortunate that on such a joyous day we should be paying tribute to a colleague who has left us. Senator Magner has covered the feelings of the House. I found Gerry O'Sullivan an honourable and a polite man. The first time I spoke to Gerry was in this House.
In political life one is used to people greeting one with a "Hello, Pat", "Hello, Joe" or "Hello, Maurice" because they recognise one's face. I knew Gerry, of course. He had been Lord Mayor. We got into a conversation once during which both of us were wondering where we had met before. Eventually I asked him if we had met before. He said he did not think so. It was a measure of the man that he was so open and friendly to somebody like me who was not a member of his party and whom he had met for the first time in the corridor. Our conversation took place, I think, over a cup of coffee in the Members' Bar. I always found him to be a most accessible and very helpful man.
I regret that our last encounter was an argument in this Chamber about the marine Bill and the future of my friends from Sherkin Island on the board. He handled that discussion with dignity and fairness. All of us had good dealings with him. As I always say about people who have served in the Oireachtas, I am happy to recognise the contribution he so selflessly made to Irish political life by placing his name on a ballot paper.
On behalf of the Progressive Democrats, I extend our sympathy to Gerry O'Sullivan's family, to his party colleagues and to his constituents in Cork.
I had many dealings with him in his ministerial capacity and he always dealt fairly and professionally. He was a thoroughly decent man. In that regard and in view of the fact that he was a sitting Member, our loss is particularly sad.
I wish to be associated with this expression of sympathy. Gerry O'Sullivan was a kind hearted, genteel and honourable politician. I extend my sympathy to his wife and family and to his friends in Cork north-central. Gerry frequently visited west Cork on holidays and on business. He was a tremendous help to me. The constituency has a long coastline and he had an intensive knowledge of the problems of fishermen and of the people living there. He also had a keen interest in west Cork. His death was a cause of great sadness and he will be severely missed in that area.
On behalf of Democratic Left, I join in the vote of sympathy to the widow and family of the late Gerry O'Sullivan. Gerry was sincere, honest and dedicated to his duties. It is regrettable that his great career was cut short by his untimely death. I dealt with him many times. One could always rely on him to be honest and sincere. The esteem with which he was held by the people of Cork and elsewhere was manifest in the huge attendance at his funeral, removal and burial. The articles by journalists in The Cork Examiner and the Evening Echo, which continued for some days afterwards, were indicative of that esteem. Ar dhéis lamh Dé go raibh a anam uasal.
I also pay tribute to the late Gerry O'Sullivan. I got to know Gerry over a 15 year period when I was building my constituency base and in that time I found no better friend and adviser. He was a light-hearted and warm man and had many friends across the political spectrum.
Gerry did not have an easy life. He lost his parents at an early age. He lost his first wife at 29 years of age. Two years ago he lost one of his younger brothers. He was a tremendous person. I went to see him during his illness and, having described in detail what he had gone through, he told me: "Believe it or not, I have gout." He was eager to get back into his job and I am sure he would have made his mark if the Lord had allowed him to do so. However, that was not to be the case. I extend my sympathy to his family. May the Lord have mercy on him.
On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group I wish to extend our sympathy to the family of the late Minister of State, Gerry O'Sullivan. He was an excellent Minister of State at the Department of the Marine as everyone in the House who dealt with him was aware. He was most courteous and I always felt that he handled his brief with great enthusiasm and knowledge. It is tragic that his career was cut short. On behalf of the House I offer my sincere sympathy to his wife and family.
Before saying the prayer, I wish to offer my sympathy also. He was a lovely man. From time to time I meet Ministers when they come here and would normally have a chat with them after a debate or the passage of a Bill. I came to the conclusion that Mr. O'Sullivan was very happy in his role. There is no doubt about that. Having heard Senator Magner who obviously knew Mr. O'Sullivan in a very personal way, I have to add that he was clearly a brave man. I extend my sympathy to his wife and family.
Members rose in their places.
It goes without saying that I will send a letter of sympathy to Mr. O'Sullivan's family on behalf of the Seanad.