The House will now pay tribute to our former colleague, the late Michael Doherty, who was affectionately known as "Mickey".
Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy
I am honoured to lead tributes to the late Michael or Mickey Doherty, a former Senator and councillor who sadly passed away late last year. I express my sincere sympathy to his family who are present. He was a man of great integrity who was committed to public service. The widespread and heartfelt tributes paid to him after his death demonstrated the high regard in which he had been held across the country, especially in his home county of Longford where he was affectionately known as "The Popular". He was a man with a great sense of humour and quick wit.
An auctioneer by profession, the Ballinalee native entered local politics in 1967, serving as a county councillor for more than two decades. Mickey then enjoyed a two year spell as a Senator from 1987 to 1989 after securing election to the 18th Seanad on the Administrative Panel. Perhaps best known for his role as a special adviser to the former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, he stepped down from public life in 2000 following a long and distinguished career.
A first rate public servant, Mickey was a man of great character who always made time to listen to the ideas of others. He will be remembered in County Longford for his major work in improving conditions in St. Joseph's Hospital. He was a hard working and dedicated member of the health board for many years.
It is understood Mickey coined the phrase, "Votes do not swim across the River Shannon", when describing the election transfers in the former Longford-Roscommon constituency. While I did not have the pleasure of serving with him, I note the glowing tributes of his contemporaries, the most poignant of which came from his great friend, former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds.
At this time we must remember those closest to Mickey, in particular, his niece, Maura Gettings, who is with us in the Chamber. I also convey my sympathy to his friend and business partner, Councillor Victor Kiernan, who was unable to attend today, and all of his family and many friends in County Longford and throughout the country. I express my deepest sympathy to his Fianna Fáil Party colleagues in the Seanad, many of whom knew him personally. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
I thank the Leader for arranging for Senators to pay tribute to a late and much loved colleague, Mickey Doherty. This House has a good record in acknowledging and saluting former Members who have gone to their eternal rest. It is particularly important to do this, not only for us to pay tribute to them but also to indicate to their families and the wider community the respect we have for former Members.
Mickey Doherty was a warm hearted individual who approached people with a smile and was always very positive. He made a famous comment which showed that he was also calculated in helping his own people. He would always say, "Sure look, I am only a small farmer from a very deprived area." For those who remember him, the late Monsignor Horan made a similar comment on "The Late, Late Show" when he stated he was only a humble parish priest trying to build an airport at Knock. In many ways, Mickey and Monsignor Horan fell into the same category.
It is worth examining Mickey's career. Like many of his countrymen, he went to England to work for a while. This suggests he was not the type of person who would lie down if things were not going well. When he returned, he showed great spirit by establishing a small agricultural subcontracting business. That led to a thriving auctioneering business with his colleague, Councillor Victor Kiernan. He was the parliamentary assistant to Albert Reynolds but he was much more than an ordinary assistant because he had his ear to the ground and he had his finger on the pulse of everything that moved in Longford. He was exceptionally compassionate. He had a particular affection for those less fortunate than himself. He wanted to help them and he looked after the sick. He was closely associated with St. Joseph's Hospital and he looked out for carers. He was the type of public representative we would all like to be if we could. He went into public life not just for what he might get himself out of it but with the intention of helping other people.
The abolition of the health boards was not a good idea. When people like Mickey Doherty was sitting on a health board and a health issue came up, he would not have been stonewalled by the HSE because he made sure those who did not have health insurance cover would be looked after. He would make a case urgently and he had a reputation for that. He was chairman of the health board for five years.
Many stories have been told about his time as parliamentary assistant but he had a great understanding of how the system worked. He was not a messenger boy, as he always looked out for opportunities and he tried to analyse the problems on the ground. That says a great deal about the man. He could have led an easy life as a parliamentary assistant but he decided not to do that. He wanted to help other people.
Mickey Doherty was a very warm character and it is nice not only that he will be remembered by the House but also that he has gone into the folklore of the democratic system. Any time one hears debates or discussions or people trying to make a point, whether it is about currency fluctuation or whatever, Mickey Doherty's name tends to come up. That is not just because he was colourful but because he had a way of getting a message across. He certainly knew how to handle the media. I do not think there was ever a bad story about Mickey Doherty in the media. When one considers that he spent several decades as a county councillor, as a member and chairman of the health board, as parliamentary assistant and as a Member of Seanad Éireann, that he did not fall foul of the media shows he was a great public relations man. However, he did not engage in public relations in an overbearing way. He did it in a way which generated increasing affection towards him. However, once he had the person listening to him, he was able to make a strong case.
When Mickey Doherty ran in the Seanad elections, he contested on the administrative panel. Members will know what it is like having had to bite their nails during election counts, and he was in a famous count in an election which was one of those after which people still talk about the anomalies in the system. He had been nominated by the parliamentary party and he was the clear winner on that occasion. While he was a Member of the Seanad, I understand from colleagues who knew him very well that he gave so much to the Seanad and he used every minute of the short time he had here not just to work the system but also trying to mould the system to the needs of the community.
Mickey Doherty was a great friend of Albert Reynolds, as we all know, and Albert depended on him. There are two words that would describe him in that context. One is "trust": he was totally trustworthy. The other, which we would all like to have in a colleague or friend, is "loyalty". He was loyal to the very end and would always stand up for the people with whom he worked. At the same time, to the best of my knowledge from what I know of him, he was not the type of politician who was into point scoring, as stated earlier. He got on with the work, he respected everyone and the fact that he went into partnership with a Fine Gael county councillor in the auctioneering business in some way helps to underline that.
I extend my sympathy to Mickey Doherty's niece, Maura Gettings, who is in the House with Séamus. I thank them and all the family for sharing him with us both in public life and in many other activities. He will be remembered for a long time to come and he was the kind of person who would have justified the existence of Seanad Éireann. Tá súil agam go bhfuil sé ar thaobh Dé. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal. Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann.
I am pleased to add my voice and those of my colleagues in the Labour Party to pay tribute and pay our respects to the legendary Mickey Doherty. I had the privilege of knowing him when he was a member of the Midland Health Board. I often covered its meetings in Tullamore and Mickey was a guy who would fill many columns in the Longford Leader. As Senator Ó Murchú pointed out, he had a way with words and a great way with people. While he was assertive, he did not cross swords or fall foul of people but, none the less, got the job done. Perhaps I could learn from him and many of us could take a leaf out of his book in terms of how he performed his duties as a public representative.
I agree that the likes of Mickey Doherty are a great loss to bodies such as regional health boards, which were accessible and accountable and held the system to account on a monthly basis. The stories about Mickey Doherty are legion and some have gone into the folklore of the political class in the midlands. He was a great man for the "spakes". He would come out with great lines and he will always be affectionately remembered for them.
If Mickey was with us today, he would be looking forward to the Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis because he was surely Albert Reynolds's right-hand man. In a time before spin doctors and special advisers, Mickey Doherty filled all those roles for Fianna Fáil and Albert Reynolds, even when he was elevated to the highest office of the land as Taoiseach. His loyalty was to Fianna Fáil and he was unapologetic about that. He was also a fully committed community man. I extend our sincere sympathy to his family and to his second family, Fianna Fáil. He loved Fianna Fáil in the same fashion as his family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
I echo the remarks of my colleague, Senator Ó Murchú, in thanking the Leader for facilitating these expressions of sympathy to the late Mickey Doherty. I am one of the few current Members who had the pleasure of serving in the House with him, which is an admission of my own advancing years. What I always remember about him, whether it was inside or outside the House, was the twinkle in his eye and his understated personality. It was deceptive and people who did not know him — Senator Whelan summed it up well having observed him, as a journalist, at various meetings — underestimated Mickey's intelligence and awareness of politics at their peril. That was a great quality of his. He was the archetypal local politician who fitted easily into national politics during the time he was in the House.
Senator Whelan was correct about him not engaging with the media in a negative way. In fact, Mickey had a very positive relationship with the media. There are few people who could have had Miriam Lord eating out of their hands — I mean that in a literal sense. They enjoyed each other. A story was told here on a previous occasion about a comment that Mickey made to Miriam — I think it was Miriam, but certainly she was present — while they were waiting for Albert to appear at a count in Longford. The journalists were becoming very agitated because they needed to file their copy, but Albert, who was Taoiseach at the time, had not turned up. Mickey had gone to his house and Albert had said he was not going to go to the count until later. Therefore, Mickey had to create some sort of diversion to placate the journalists, and he said that Albert was dealing with serious financial matters. I understand the fallout from those comments affected the value of the Irish pound, and Mickey enjoyed that. He would not have seen it as being something horrendous or awful that he should hide away from. He actually enjoyed it.
I remember Mickey as a happy, well balanced individual with a twinkle in his eye. The best way of describing him is as a latter-day ward boss. He had a political antenna that was unrivalled. He and Albert worked extremely closely together, and it was a fitting tribute that Albert was chief mourner at the funeral. I know he will miss him greatly. We all miss Mickey greatly, and I echo the expressions of sympathy to Maura, his niece, and to Séamus, who are with us. I am so pleased they are here. I know the Fianna Fáil Deputy for Longford-Westmeath, Deputy Troy, was instrumental in arranging for these expressions of sympathy to be held. He is also present in the Chamber. Deputy Troy would have enjoyed Mickey — not that he needs any help in his political advancement — because he loved politics above everything else. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
Along with Senator Mooney, I feel a little old this morning, as I served in the Seanad from 1987 to 1989 with the late Senator Mickey Doherty. It was certainly an enjoyable experience dealing with such a colourful character and profoundly popular politician. It was an interesting Seanad in 1987 because, as Senator Mooney knows, we were not meeting in this Chamber, as it was being renovated, but in the anteroom next door. The desks were small and space was limited, and every comment, quip and utterance was heard throughout the House. I cannot give in graphic detail an account of the morning when Senator Doherty was stopped from speaking by the then Cathaoirleach Tras Honan, but it certainly was a memorable morning for all of us who were there. The Official Record of the Seanad reads "Interruptions", but it was a bit more lively than that. I believe it was actually Mickey Doherty's first speech, or first attempted speech, in the Seanad. Of course, as Senator Mooney and others will recall, as he was elected on the same panel as Tras Honan, there was a bit of natural tension between them.
That explains the colour.
That is one way of putting it.
His first intervention was certainly a memorable occasion. He was a fascinating, friendly and chatty man. I suppose that in today's very politically correct politics, where it is more about soundbites and spin doctors than substance, he would be a little lost, but he was a colossus in the politics of Longford and the midlands, and in the Fianna Fáil Party, for all of his political career.
During last year's Seanad election, as I was touring the highways and byways of County Longford, I was travelling on a road I did not know when I suddenly saw Mickey Doherty standing by the wall of his lovely house. I stopped the car and reintroduced myself to him, as we had not met for a number of years and his health was failing. Not surprisingly, he invited me in for tea, and we had a lovely chat and half an hour's conversation about life and times then and now. I was pleased to have that opportunity to meet him after so many years. As my Fianna Fáil colleagues have said, he was very close to the former Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds, and they enjoyed their times together. Their style and approach to life and politics were very similar.
I will conclude with something I read in the local newspapers. I really regret that I was unaware of Mickey Doherty's death, as I certainly would have attended his funeral. I apologise to his family, but I was unaware of it until I read about it in the media some days afterwards. The former Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, who gave the graveside oration, used a phrase that sums up Mickey. He said that on one occasion when they were having a debate or clash about the disadvantaged areas scheme, Mickey described himself as being "a slightly handicapped man from a severely handicapped area". That is a perfect summary of Mickey — serious and humorous all rolled into one. He had a great political career and a great business career with his Fine Gael colleague, Victor Kiernan. He saw the bigger picture in life. He knew that politics was important but it was not the most important thing. Rather, friendship and community and helping one's neighbours formed the biggest piece of the jigsaw for him, and he was supreme at that.
As Senator Ó Murchú said, Mickey Doherty is a colleague who will be long spoken of. When I looked at the record I actually thought he had served here for five years, or two terms, and I was surprised to see he had served for only one term. It is amazing that in that one short term he left such a legacy that even people who never met him have heard about him and are entertained by stories of what he got up to. We will certainly remember him here in Leinster House, but I am sure he will be remembered by his family and the people of Longford as a decent politician who genuinely did the State some service.
Ba mhaith liom aontú leis an méid atá ráite ar son Mickey Doherty. Mickey was both an institution and a character. As Senator Mooney said, one underestimated him at one's peril. He portrayed a very understated ability, but his astuteness in politics was certainly noted in his local area. Reference has been made to his close friendship over the years with the former Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds. It is probably fair to say that Albert Reynolds might never have entered politics, and certainly might never have graced these Houses, but for Mickey Doherty. I think Albert Reynolds himself would concede that. It was unheard of in 1977 to do as Mickey Doherty did when, as a prominent Fianna Fáil member and councillor in the area, he decided to support Albert Reynolds as a candidate against a sitting Deputy. If that happens, generally it is the person him or herself challenging a Deputy rather than promoting somebody else. It showed a selflessness about the man. He was interested in and totally committed to the party and to Longford, and he obviously saw the potential in Albert Reynolds. That in itself would have created a tremendous bond between them and a great sense of gratitude, which I know the former Taoiseach always felt towards Mickey. However, there was also a great personal bond between them.
I recall an evening some time after the general election in 1989 when Albert Reynolds pulled up in his car outside my house with Mickey Doherty sitting in the back seat. He wanted to know whether I would mind accompanying them around Wexford in order that Mickey could canvass all the councillors. It was coming up to teatime and he felt that with a bit of help they could get around that night, which he did. I was regaled with stories throughout the night as we went for cups of tea in the various houses. I would have known the former Taoiseach and although I did not know Mickey terribly well, I really got to know him that night. He was a most unassuming, genuine and very witty and funny man, as the Leader said.
Mickey Doherty certainly made his mark on Fianna Fáil and the health boards, but also on the country. I recall that after Albert Reynolds was elected Taoiseach he identified his two priorities as trying to achieve peace in Northern Ireland and tackling unemployment. Many people thought he was setting himself up for a huge fall because these objectives did not seem achievable at the time. He worked hard on it and Mickey worked closely with him in that period and it was interesting to hear Senator Mooney's story about the count where it caused a run on the punt. It was a case of Mickey covering for Albert who, after a long election campaign, needed relaxation and perhaps a few extra hours in bed. As Mickey felt that was not a good image for the Taoiseach to portray he came up with this great excuse but when it went on the airwaves, everyone thought the punt was under pressure and it led to a bit of a run on it. As Senator Mooney said, Mickey would have seen that as normal in the course of politics. He treated national politics like local politics, and if we all reflect on it, there is very little difference.
Mickey Doherty is a man who made his mark, a genuine man, and I was proud and pleased to get to know him after that excursion around the roads of Wexford in 1989. Like Senator Bradford, I was unaware of his death until we resumed after Christmas and I extend mysympathy to Maura and Séamus and other members of his family. Ar dheis Dé agus i measc na n-aingeal agus na naomh go raibh a anam dílis.
I am glad to have this accidental opportunity to pay tribute to the late Senator Mickey Doherty. I say accidental because it is not on the Order Paper and I was taking a briefing about a completely different matter and I came back here thinking I might have missed an amendment I was interested in on the other Bill. By pure accident, Senator Doherty has served me well.
I am one of the few people here today — there are a sprinkling — who remembers Senator Mickey Doherty. If I recall him correctly, he was a Member of the Seanad when it sat outside in the antechamber and I believe Tras Honan was the Cathaoirleach at that stage. I am sure I will be corrected if I am wrong. They were two very colourful characters who were on the same Seanad election panel. The reason for meeting in the antechamber was because this magnificent chamber was in difficulty and the entire central panel in the ceiling was in a state of collapse. I am sure Senator Doherty, who took an interest in craft and in the economy of this country, would not object to my saying that it is a tribute to the craftsmanship that survives among the Irish that while many people who come into this Chamber look at the panels and comment on how great the talent was back in the days and that such work could not be done these days, the fact is it could. No one could tell the difference between those three panels.
Senator Doherty was a colourful character. We in Dublin are inclined to talk about Dublin characters and bemoan the fact they have all died out and possibly feel the same about politics. Senator Doherty was certainly a colourful character. He was a product of the midlands and I savoured every meeting with him because my own roots on my mother's side are very much from the midlands and he was so much a midlands man. He knew his background and people extraordinarily well. That is a talent. It would be foolish to say he was the greatest orator I ever heard in this House but he knew politics inside out and he knew his own people. I recall the late Frank O'Connor speaking during a class in Trinity College when he taught there for some time and saying that sometimes people dismiss others for being parochial but if one knows one's own parish, one knows the whole world. The danger is being provincial and he made a distinction between the two. Senator Doherty knew his parish so intimately, it gave him an insight into human nature.
I always felt there was something roguish about Mickey Doherty. He would flit through the corridors of power with a half smile and a twinkle in his eye and we would know something was up. He was a close adviser of Albert Reynolds who was, in my opinion, another decent man who also came from Longford, rose through the ranks and brought that kind of experience with him. He will be missed. He was a colourful character. It is often said: "Ní fheicfimid a leithéid arís ann"; we will not see his like again. I rather doubt we will see another Mickey Joe Doherty and we are impoverished for that. Some of the colour has gone out of Irish political life. He was also, if I recall correctly, a remarkable tallyman. I imagine he would agree with those of us here who felt there was a place for the píosa páipéir and the peann luaidhe at elections, with all the drama, excitement and human element. I extend my condolences to his niece and nephew and say that wherever he is, I expect he is up to his ears in it. I, certainly, am sorry he has left us.
Cuirim leis na briathra ómóis don iar-Sheanadóir Mickey Doherty thar ceann pháirtí Shinn Féin sa Teach seo. Casadh lena mhuintir, Máire agus Séamus, atá anseo, lena chairde agus lena ghaolta ar fad agus go háirithe le muintir Fhianna Fáil a bhí mór leis. Is léir óna chomhghleacaithe Rialtais agus iar-Rialtais, idir an Seanad, an Dáil agus eile, agus mar is léir ó na briathra go dtí seo, gur duine é a raibh ard-mheas air, an-spraoi ann agus an-chion ag daoine air. Is cinnte go bhfuil sé feiliúnach go mbeimis sa Seanad ag tabhairt ómóis do na daoine a chuaigh romhainn mar tá sé fíorthábhachtach go n-aithnímid an t-ionchur a bhí ag daoine sa phróiseas pharlaiminteach ar fad agus an chaoi go gcuireann siad le cúrsaí polaitíochta sa tír seo. Cé go mbeimis ag easaontúó am go chéile ó thaobh polasaí agus eile, tá sé fíorthábhachtach go bhfuil ómós ann dá chineál agus thar ceann Shinn Féin ba mhaith liom sin a chur in iúl.
On behalf of Sinn Féin, I add to the sentiment of what has been said by previous speakers. I did not know Mickey Doherty but I have heard about him and having heard some of the stories we have heard today, I would love to hear more of them and I would say we surely will in the next couple of years. It is important that the Seanad takes time out to pay respect to those people who have served in this House and in the public sphere. It is a great sacrifice to make on their own behalf and on behalf of their families and, on behalf of Sinn Féin, I convey our condolences to Maura and Séamus who are here in the Visitors Gallery. I am sure Mickey was central to a lot of the work done by the iar-Thaoiseach, Albert Reynolds, on behalf of the peace process, which was greatly welcome. It is important we recognise those who went before us and learn and respect what they stood for and achieved.
Thar ceann páirtí s'againne, ba mhaith liom suaimhneas faoi shíoraí a ghuí air agus ar chuile duine a chuaigh romhainn. Beannacht dhílis Dé lena anam agus go dtuga Dia slán é.
I too wish to be associated with the tributes to the late Mickey Doherty, who was a Member of this House from 1987 to 1989. I knew him well as a councillor and met him at several ard-fheiseanna. I did not serve with him; he finished his service here in 1989 and I came into the Seanad later that year.
As has been said, Mickey Doherty was quite a character with a great sense of humour and turn of wit. He was a dedicated member of Fianna Fáil for his whole life and he served the people of Longford well. He was a close confidante and loyal supporter of Albert Reynolds at all times and was very proud when he was made Taoiseach. He was also loyal to Fianna Fáil and travelled to conferences throughout the country. As a Member said earlier, he had a great twinkle in his eye; there was a bit of devilment in him. At the same time, he was very able in contributing to various debates. He also had a great grasp of what was happening in politics, particularly local politics. A Member said earlier that the votes could not swim across the River Shannon in the old Longford-Roscommon constituency. Earlier today I saw Deputy Troy and there was certainly a transfer of votes from Longford to Westmeath in the last election, which helped Deputy Troy to be elected.
I extend my sympathy to Mickey Doherty's niece Maura and her husband Séamus. The Cathaoirleach, Senator Paddy Burke, wishes to be associated with the tributes today.
Members rose.
Before suspending the sitting, I wish to welcome and acknowledge the presence of a Minister from Israel in the Visitors Gallery.
Sitting suspended at 12.45 p.m. and resumed at 3 p.m.