Seanad Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 21 Mar 2000

Vol. 162 No. 15

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy.

Mr. Cassidy

It is with the deepest regret that I rise to express my sincere sympathy on behalf of the House and as Leader of the Fianna Fáil group to the wife and family of the late Deputy Michael Ferris, who served proudly in both the Dáil and Seanad for many years.

I also extend my sympathy to the Labour Party which has lost a loyal and true champion.

Michael Ferris first entered the Seanad on the agricultural panel in 1975 and served until 1977. He was again elected in 1981 and continued to serve until 1989, when he was elected to Dáil Éireann. During his service in the Seanad he was leader of the Labour Party group for a long period and was the first Deputy Leader of the Seanad between 1982 and 1987. A true gentleman, he earned the respect and admiration of those on all sides of the House, who saw him as a diligent and hardworking parliamentarian.

I knew Michael Ferris personally and will always remember him as an outstanding public representative who carried the Labour Party flag with pride. He was vice-chairman of the Labour Party from 1979 to 1986 and was a long-serving member of Tipperary County Council from his election in 1967, chairing the council from 1973 to 1974 and again between 1981 and 1982. He was also a member of Tipperary UDC and was chair of that body from 1987 to 1988. He was a member of the South Eastern Health Board from 1973 to 1985 and was chairman of the board from 1974 to 1975 and again from 1978 to 1979. He was a member of Tipperary South Riding ACOT committee from 1969 to 1970 and from 1977. He was chairman of the General Council of Agricultural Committees from 1982 to 1983 and was also a member of the Bansha Agricultural Show Society – his home town – from 1980 to 1987; he was president of that society from 1995.

In the Oireachtas, Michael Ferris will probably be best remembered for his great work on the Joint Committee on European Affairs, as a member of the Dáil Committee of Selection, the Com mittee on Procedure and Privileges, the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Executive of the Irish Parliamentary Association, the Joint Committee on Standing Orders, the Select Committee on Finance and General Affairs and, most recently, as chairman of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Sport and Recreation, of which I was also a member.

On behalf of Seanad Éireann and the Fianna Fáil group in the House, I offer my sincere sympathy to his wife, Ellen, and their four sons and two daughters. Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam.

Mr. Manning

It is very hard to come to terms with the fact that Michael Ferris is no longer with us. As news of his sudden death in Lisbon filtered through last night, all of us would have had our own particular memories of him. He was somebody who seemed to be everywhere in Leinster House all the time, whether it was on committees, travelling, talking to people, giving advice or working for his constituents. He was always talking and always held views on matters; there was a great sense of energy, enthusiasm and commitment about him. All of us will have special personal memories of him.

At his most essential, Michael Ferris was a decent and honest person and he brought the qualities of decency and honesty to bear on everything in politics. As the Leader said, he is a great loss to his family and to the people of South Tipperary, whom he served with great energy, commitment and affection. That affection was certainly returned by the voters of that constituency.

He is also a special loss to the Labour Party and I sympathise with my colleagues in that party who have suffered three grievous deaths in the life of this Parliament – that of Jim Kemmy, a superb parliamentarian, followed by the death of our good friend, Dr. Pat Upton, taken so suddenly from us just over a year ago and now, equally untimely, the death of Michael Ferris. These are huge blows to the Labour Party in such a short space of time and I know all other parties will sympathise with it. At their most essential, parties are parties of comrades who work together in common cause. There are bonds of deep friendship and loyalty which bind members of parties together and at a time like this it is the members of his party who will feel his loss most deeply.

As a parliamentary colleague, Michael Ferris was always very effective and was particularly good on Committee Stage of a Bill, which is the true test of the good parliamentarian in many ways. He had a great eye for detail and could spot loopholes. He could see the implications of a Bill for the people who would ultimately be affected by it. He could be very dogged on Committee Stage and for many of his opponents he could be infuriating. I always happened to be on the same side as he was but there were times when Mini sters felt they had been found out by his searching scrutiny of a Bill.

If Michael Ferris believed in something – he always believed in something because he had very strong views – he was prepared to fight to get his views across. He was a feisty politician and was prepared to speak openly. It is no coincidence that one of his last broadcasts was under fairly hostile interview on RTÉ when he defended the interests of Members and pointed out the stresses and strains on them and the lack of material reward. He was not afraid to speak out and say what he believed because he believed it to be true. As Senator O'Toole said this morning, it was a sad coincidence that Michael Ferris, who talked about the stress of parliamentary work, should have in some way fallen victim to that stress.

Working with him when I was leader of the Fine Gael group and he was leader of the Labour group was always a pleasure because he was a man of his word. The word of someone is tested more often on small issues than on big issues, and if he agreed to something, that was that. In Michael Ferris, we mourn someone who served well the profession of politics and the people of South Tipperary. Most of all, we mourn someone who will be deeply missed by his wife, Ellen, his four sons and two daughters. On behalf of Fine Gael, I extend my sympathy to his family in particular.

Mr. O'Toole

I also extend my condolences to the Labour Party and to the family of Michael Ferris. He was a perfect example of a well balanced and well rounded public representative. From the time I came to this House, I found him to be very supportive and helpful. As leader of the Labour group, he was always at hand and available. As Deputy Leader, he was always ready to offer advice and prepared to make space for issues emanating from our benches at a time when he was not under a lot of pressure to do so. He found the balance between legislative interests and topical issues and between local and international issues. He found time for the case work and for using his wide-ranging skills, background and talents. I recall his dealing with the Abattoir Bill, an issue in which he had extraordinary expertise. He put forward amendment after amendment to the Bill which were acted upon and accepted.

He was a hard working and committed politician. He stuck with the issues and did not walk away from them. He listened to other people and argued his point, forever if necessary. He always stuck with the point and had respect for his colleagues from all parties in both Houses. These are important issues. In my dealings with him and in his dealings with others, he was always an efficient, very busy and very committed Deputy Leader of the House. He was able to get business done efficiently and effectively through the good use of time. He was a great supporter of putting time limits on issues.

As the first chairperson of the European Affairs Committee, he was progressive and open. He expanded the role of the committee and we got to the stage where it was impossible to meet a parliamentarian from any parliament in the world who would not say, "Do you know Michael Ferris?" He had a great knack of remembering and knowing people and of keeping up contact.

He was painstaking in his defence of Members' interests. Like Senator Manning, I worked closely with him over the past three months, week after week, dealing with issues such as the rewards, remuneration and recognition of the work of public representatives. He was insistent that public representatives should articulate their needs and put their demands like any other group of workers. It was appropriate that his last significant broadcast should be in this area, into which people do not rush. It is not very popular to rush to the defence of politicians and public representatives. It is a mark of his commitment and lack of self-interest that he was prepared to do so. As well as being painstaking in his defence of Members, he was equally diligent in his representation of his constituents and was always worried about them and moving on their particular needs. He was always interested in the area. In that constituency there have been many changes and Clonmel has rarely been out of the news in terms of job losses or job gains. He was always to the fore in that area and represented the people with extraordinary ability and excellence.

It is true that people in political life have to find a balance between public and private issues. This was an important matter to him. The last long discussion at the Committee on Members' Interests was on how we could put structures in place to find a proper work-life balance for public representatives. It was so progressive for a man who was one of the older Members to move that issue forward. He will be a loss. Members should recognise that in the past couple of weeks he did much to further the cause of Members in ways which will probably not get recognition down the line.

It is ironic, indeed it is poignant, that his last contribution should have been on the whole area of the pressures and physical and other demands on the family and personal life of public representatives which were taking their toll on all Members. He did not mention himself. He said the work-life balance was important if we were to attract more people into the world of politics and public representation. He was looking to his successor. He made the point that none of his family had expressed the slightest interest because of the demands and the intrusions which are part of political life. He was a good example of how political life should be lived, how political work should be done, how representations should be articulated and manifested.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh sé. I extend our condolences to his family and party.

Mr. Costello

We in the Labour Party are deeply shocked and saddened at the sudden death of our friend and colleague, Michael Ferris. Our thoughts are with his wife, Ellen, and their four sons and two daughters in their sorrow today. On behalf of the Labour Party Members of Seanad Éireann I pay tribute to a great parliamentarian who served with distinction in both Houses of the Oireachtas. I thank the leaders of the groups for their generous tributes. Clearly, he was well liked on all sides of the political divide.

Michael's career as a public representative began over 30 years ago in 1967 when he was first elected to Tipperary South Riding County Council. He served with distinction on many local authority committees throughout the region during his time as a councillor. He served in this House for 11 years from 1975, when he won a Seanad by-election, until 1977 and again from 1981 to 1989. He was elected on the agricultural panel, being well qualified as a former director of a veterinary practice. He served as leader of the Labour Party Seanad group and was Deputy Leader of the Seanad from 1982 to 1987. That was a role he relished.

This morning there was a poignant moment as we met to honour the present and former leaders of Seanad Éireann. Michael would have appreciated that moment. Within the Labour Party he served as vice-chair from 1976 to 1986 and fulfilled his duties with great skill, humour and tact. Those were turbulent years in the party's history and Michael played a significant role in steering the party through some tough times.

In 1989 he achieved his life-long ambition by becoming a Labour Deputy for Tipperary South and he held the seat in the two subsequent general elections in 1992 and 1997. At all times he displayed the best characteristics to which public representatives aspire. He was a hard-working, loyal and diligent TD who put his constituents first. He was party spokesperson on social welfare, health and agriculture and was spokesperson on natural resources from 1997 until his untimely death. A member of numerous Dáil and Seanad committees, he served as chairman of the Joint Committee on European Affairs from 1995 to 1997 and was chairman of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Sport and Recreation at the time of his death.

Michael had an enduring interest in world politics. He had an impressive knowledge of international issues and was on friendly terms with many world leaders. Only last week I listened to him in Brussels discussing European Union enlargement.

In the last analysis he was a Tipperary man. Michael was immensely proud to represent Tipperary South and the town of Clonmel, where the Labour Party was founded in 1913. Michael's family was steeped in Labour Party politics and he continued that tradition by carrying the Labour flag in Tipperary South, during good times and bad, with courage and pride. For him it was a privilege and an honour to represent Clonmel, where Connolly and Larkin set up the Labour Party.

I will miss his good humour and his energy and enthusiasm for life and politics. The Labour Party has lost one of its finest members. If ever a person could have been described as a Labour stalwart, it was Michael Ferris. We will miss him greatly. The thoughts, condolences and prayers of the Labour Party are with his wife, Ellen, and their family at this terrible time. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Mr. Dardis

On behalf of the Progressive Democrats, I join in this expression of sympathy on the death of Deputy Michael Ferris. I extend the sympathy of my party to his wife, Ellen, to his colleagues in the parliamentary Labour Party and the Labour Party nationally and to the people of Tipperary South whom he represented so well.

One of the things which characterised Michael Ferris was his bubbling personality. He was always friendly, engaging and cheerful and he always had a word of advice for those who were new to the Houses. He was a highly respected person. I will not repeat the considerable catalogue of his achievements in parliamentary and local politics. He was marked out in a wider dimension as someone quite exceptional. His passing will be mourned, not only in this country but in parliamentary assemblies throughout the world. He had a warm and vibrant presence and was an excellent ambassador for Ireland in international fora and in parliamentary assemblies throughout the world.

Michael showed characteristic courage when he suffered a heart attack in South Africa several years ago and continued almost as though nothing had happened. He must have known that there was a serious threat to his well being, his health and indeed his life but he carried on in the service of his constituents and of the Oireachtas as though nothing had happened. He was always willing to help anyone who needed help. He was a real gentleman. He did not bear grudges but left parliamentary business behind him when he left the Houses and engaged with everyone on an equal footing.

His background in agriculture has already been catalogued. He attended the Salesian College, was secretary of a veterinary practice and was a founder member of the youth section of Muintir na Tíre. He had a deep rooted commitment to agriculture which was characterised by a fearless defence of small farmers and people of no property and little influence. He never lost sight of their needs during the entire length of his parliamentary career.

To his wife, Ellen, his Labour Party colleagues and his constituents we extend our sympathy.

Mr. T. Hayes

It is difficult to describe the shock and sadness which was felt in Tipperary South when the news came yesterday of the sad passing of Deputy Michael Ferris. Michael Ferris was one of the hardest working and most commit ted public representatives any constituency could wish to have. He worked fearlessly and diligently on behalf of the people of Tipperary South, from the poorest to the richest and no matter what their interests. From humble beginnings in Bansha, County Tipperary, Michael Ferris grew up in the shadow of Canon Hayes and he reflected his ideals throughout his political career.

Rural electrification, roads and housing were always on top of Michael Ferris's agenda. He began his political career by winning a seat for the Labour Party on Tipperary South Riding County Council in 1967 and quickly established a reputation as a hard worker and a man to whom people went. It was always said that when one wanted to have something fixed one went to Michael Ferris who dedicated himself to the cause of all the people of the constituency he represented, in which the Labour Party was founded and where his passing will be marked.

Michael Ferris's commitment to the Labour Party will go down in history. Since my election to Tipperary South Riding County Council in 1991 he has always flown the Labour Party flag. Even in difficult times when he was criticised for what the Labour Party was doing in Government he was steadfast in his commitment and always loyal to its cause. He always stood by its Ministers and their decisions, whether they bore good news or bad for the people of South Tipperary. He will certainly be missed.

Michael Ferris had many other interests. He never missed Bansha show which is held on the first Wednesday of September every year. He held every committee position from chairman to ordinary member. It is a small, simple show which is part of the fabric of rural Ireland. He studied agriculture from A to Z having been reared in the Galtee Mountains where farming operations are small and he often had to help those who found themselves in difficult circumstances.

Michael Ferris will be a huge loss to Bansha, south Tipperary and the Oireachtas. I extend my sympathy to his wife, Ellen, and his mother who lives in Cluain Álainn, Tipperary town, about whom he was always extremely worried. I also extend my sympathy to the members of his family and all those associated with him. He will be remembered by all the people of south Tipperary.

Labhrás Ó Murchú

I wish to be associated with the expressions of sympathy on the death of an esteemed Oireachtas colleague, Deputy Michael Ferris, and extend my sympathy to his wife, Ellen, his family, his mother and the Labour Party which he served so loyally and well during the years. As a fellow south Tipperary man, I knew Michael for many years. I can recall many occasions on which I called on him for help and advice which were always forthcoming quickly and generously. I will remember him as a very decent politician in his work and behaviour and in everything he did in public life. The people who will miss him most and are most indebted to him are those who are vulnerable. He always looked after those most in need of help and representation and worked tirelessly on their behalf.

Most of us will remember him as a very friendly person, friendly in and outside the Oireachtas. I always found him to be kind, understanding and helpful. As others have said, it is difficult to come to terms with such a loss because most of us had looked forward to Michael being with us for many years to come. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.

An Cathaoirleach

I would like to be associated with the tributes which have been paid to the late Deputy Michael Ferris and to join in the expression of sympathy to his wife and family. I ask Members to rise in their places as a mark of respect.

Members rose.