I would like to remember one of our reporters, Breda Courtney, who died suddenly last week. Breda worked in Áras an Uachtaráin before joining us in Leinster House in 1978. She became a parliamentary reporter in 1996 and worked here in the Chamber in the week of her death. I wish to extend my sincere sympathy to her family, friends and colleagues, particularly her colleagues in the Debates Office.
Death of Staff Member: Expressions of Sympathy.
As Leader of the House, I join the Cathaoirleach in expressing our sympathy to the family of Breda Courtney who died so suddenly. I often think of the people who come here and do their work so assiduously every day. I am pleased her colleagues are here with us this afternoon. Their job must sometimes be very boring and never-ending. Speaking for myself, they hear drivel in both Houses from time to time, and yet they must keep their equilibrium and steadily work on. Breda Courtney was a parliamentary reporter since 1996 and was in this House on many occasions.
Under the Cathaoirleach's aegis and that of his predecessors, we have always expressed sympathy when former Senators or people who graced this Chamber pass away. We are glad to do so because we regard them as our former comrades. Those who work in this Chamber are also comrades, particularly among their colleagues and close friends. I am sure they swap stories and have many interesting conversations together.
Be that as it may, Breda passed away so terrifyingly quickly, being in the House one day and gone the next, that it struck fear into our hearts when we heard it. While we may not have known her full name, we all knew Breda when she came into the Chamber as unassuming, studious and assiduous, all of the qualities one expects in a person of that calling. On behalf of my party and as Leader of the House, I join with the Cathaoirleach in voicing our sympathy to her family.
On behalf of the Fine Gael group in the House, I join with the Cathaoirleach and the Leader in offering our sympathy to the family of Ms Breda Courtney, who was well known to many people in this House and the Dáil for her work as a parliamentary reporter over many years.
As well as expressing sympathy to her family, I sympathise with her work colleagues, who are with us today. The parliamentary reporters in the Debates Office do an essential job in our parliamentary democracy, translating our various mutterings into plain English. They do a terrific job, about which the public needs to know. The debates in this House, the Dáil and at committees are reported quickly so the public can see exactly what goes on in these Houses. Ms Courtney was an essential cog in the wheel, someone who was much loved in this House and who played her part in its workings.
We extend to her family and her work colleagues our deepest sympathy at this very difficult time.
On behalf of those on the Independent benches, I would like to be associated with the previous comments and offer our condolences to Breda's colleagues, her circle of friends and her family. We may not have known Ms Courtney that well but we would exchange a half smile and a friendly nod whenever she passed by. She was courteous at all times.
The part that she played and her colleagues continue to play in keeping the Irish parliamentary website as one of the most up to date and progressive in all of Europe, as far as I can see from looking at other examples, is something she can share in our thanks for. I do not know if anybody has compared closely what we say and what is produced, or examined how people like Breda can listen, ad nauseam, as we go on with elliptical sentences, half-formed paragraphs, doubtful grammar and general incoherence. This would be transcribed and edited into sentences with perfect grammar and English usage. We are grateful to her for her work in this respect.
I would like her family to know of the part she played in continuing a tradition going back generations to Hansard in the House of Commons. It is an important role and a crucial piece of reference and record. In thanking Ms Courtney, we offer our condolences to her friends and her colleagues especially. They must be shocked at the suddenness of someone who was working here a couple of weeks ago dying so quickly. We also extend sympathy to her family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
I would like to join in the words of sympathy to the family, friends and colleagues of Ms Breda Courtney, who died so suddenly. It has been mentioned that a sudden death like hers leaves a gaping hole and is such a loss for family and friends. We in the House would have been aware of Breda coming and going, and of her extraordinary work and that of her colleagues. She was part of an amazing team supporting the work of this House and playing a valuable role in our democracy, ensuring that the public has quick and easy access to the pronouncements in this House.
On behalf of the Labour Party I thank Breda Courtney and her family for her long years of service, as have been mentioned by the Cathaoirleach and the Leader. She served here for a considerable number of years and I thank her for such assiduous service, and for being an extraordinary member of a great team.
I join with previous speakers in extending the sympathy of the Progressive Democrats to Breda Courtney's family and her work colleagues on her sudden death. A sudden death is a shock for everyone, but particularly for her family and those who worked closely with her. We all acknowledge the tremendous work done silently and efficiently by the parliamentary reporters in maintaining the records of what is debated in this House for the years ahead. The efficiency with which the parliamentary reporters work is acknowledged by everyone. I extend the sincere sympathy of our party to her family and work colleagues.
Members rose.