I take this opportunity to welcome you all back. I hope we have a very successful session.
Before we start our proceedings, we will have a vote of sympathy to the family of Philip Burton who served as a Member of the Oireachtas.
Death of Former Member. - Expression of Sympathy.
I propose a vote of sympathy to the family of the late Phil Burton. He was a man I got to know very late in his life; he had left this House four years before I was elected. He lived through some of the stormiest and most colourful days of modern Irish history and I heard many a good story from him about those days.
Phil Burton spent 18 years in the national Parliament, four of them in this House. He was a man of great decency and integrity. He served quietly but very effectively. He was widely respected across all party boundaries. I take this opportunity to convey the condolences of my party and of the House to his window and family?
May I, on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, be associated with the sentiments expressed by the Leader and send our sympathies to the late Philip Burton's wife and family.
I did not have the experience of knowing or working with the late Senator. We, on the Independent benches, would like to add our names to the list of those offering support to his family at this time.
On behalf of the Labour Party I would like to join with the expression of sympathy to the family of the late Philip Burton. I knew him and his family in the town of Kanturk over a number of years. I was aware of the service given by him in the Dáil, in this House and in Cork County Council. I have dealt with him in his business and have found him to be a decent man. On many occasions in recent years he gave me very good advice about my political future. I wish to express my personal sympathy and that of my party to the Burton family.
On behalf of the Progressive Democrats I would like to join in this vote of sympathy to the family of the late Philip Burton and to express our sympathy to his colleagues in Fine Gael. I did not have the privilege of knowing him but I know he was held in very great respect and was widely admired. May he rest in peace.
I, too, would like to be associated with the message of condolence to the window and family of the late Philip Burton, a Kanturk man. When I was elected to Cork County Council in the 1970s he was a member of the northern division of the council. The first thing that struck me about him was that he was a man of great experience. He also had long service in the Oireachtas. When he asked a question he got an answer. I often compare present day standards in local authorities with the standards then. I wish to be associated with the expression of condolence.
The House will stand in silent tribute for one minute.
Members rose in their places.