Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 Jun 2023

Vol. 295 No. 3

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy

An Cathaoirleach

The next item is tributes to our former colleague and friend, iar-Sheanadóir Mary Jackman. I welcome her husband, Nick; daughter, Nicola Reyna; grandchildren, Nicholas and Sean; sister, Ursula; nephews, Ray and Brian; and friends, Betty Walsh, Michael Dwyer, Dymphna Bracken and Marian Hurley to the Gallery. I also welcome our former colleague and friend, and former Senator and Deputy, Michael Finucane. He is welcome back to Leinster House. We are also joined by the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, and Deputy Fergus O'Dowd, both of whom were friends of Mary Jackman and served with her in Seanad Éireann. All our guests are very welcome. I thank Senator Maria Byrne for organising today.

As Members will be aware, Mary Jackman served for two terms in this House and, unfortunately, died in May 2022. The Houses of the Oireachtas passed a motion paying tribute to her and as Cathaoirleach, and as a friend of Mary's, it is my privilege today to convene this part of the business of the House to pay tribute to her.

Mary Jackman was born in Cappawhite, County Tipperary, but as we all know, spent a considerable part of her life in Limerick. As a teacher and educator, she taught in Presentation College in Limerick city. Mary's passion was education. It played an enormous part in her life. Her achievements as a teacher and mentor are extraordinary. She was a member of the governing body of the University of Limerick, UL, and the Limerick Institute of Technology, as well as chairing the Limerick county vocational educational committee, VEC, for five years. Those of us who knew Mary Jackman know she would have been proud of the way in which the education sector in Limerick is thriving today. In many ways, the growth of UL and the Technological University of the Shannon, TUS, and that model of education, serves as one of her legacies in her political work.

Along with her work in education, she also worked with many local agencies in establishing Castletroy College and served on its board of management. Mary and I shared a common interest and desire to have the leaving certificate applied programme advanced on the education system as a real alternative to, and with parity of esteem with, the leaving certificate. I know from many conversations with Mary, and from meeting a number of her past pupils, it was those students on the margins of the education system who benefited in many ways from her sterling work in education.

As many Members will know, Mary was an avid sportswoman, captaining her camogie team while studying. She did not always admit that she studied in University College Cork, UCC, and I used to like to slag her about attending UCC. Later in life, she took part in the Great Limerick Run. One of the things about Mary was that she was always on the go and active.

As Members and her family and friends will be aware, she was political. She made a vast contribution to political life, especially in Limerick, and was one of the founding members of the Limerick Women's Political Association. She was the first female chair of Limerick County Council and served for almost 30 years. She was one of the longest-serving councillors in a local authority. Her grandfather, Patrick Duggan, served on the very first Limerick County Council and Mary was very proud to continue that family tradition of public service. Here in Seanad Éireann, she was the first female Senator to represent Limerick, serving from 1989 to 1992 and again from 1997 to 2002.

Mary Jackman was a very warm, kind, caring and considerate person. She was very engaging. She was always offering support and guidance. However, she was firm in her beliefs and had many positions of conviction that she was not afraid to speak on and stand up for. Her contributions in this Chamber were diverse. Her strong voice was to the fore on matters of health, education and equality. In one of her final contributions in 2002, she called on the Minister for Education to assist children with special needs. As always, education, fairness and looking after the most vulnerable in society were key parts of her political life and her life in general.

On my behalf and that of the House, I extend and renew the sympathies of all of us to Nicholas and Nicola, to her sister, Ursula, her grandchildren and her extended family and friends on her loss. May she rest in peace. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Senator Regina Doherty

Our guests are all very welcome.

When Mary Jackman was laid to rest this time last year, tributes flowed in from across her beloved Limerick and beyond. At home, she was described as one of the great icons of her local community. In reference to her political career, she was described as a pioneer of opportunity. Throughout her life, Mary Jackman was most certainly a pioneer. With her mother's side of the family having been what she described as roaring Fianna Fáilers, she had the audacity to join Fine Gael. By God, was that our blessing. Having embarked on a teaching career in Limerick's Presentation College, Mary took her leap into electoral politics in 1985 when she won a seat on Limerick City Council. In the council chamber, she was just one of two or three women on a body including 30 men. On the council, Mary learned very quickly how to fight her own corner, or, as she would say, to throw in the odd scud missile, because she had to. At every meeting, she would get a hard time from some of the officials who did not have a clue how to deal with a woman as they had been so used to dealing mainly with men until she and her colleagues appeared.

That was during the Garret FitzGerald era and while women in Irish politics were few and far between, Mary was part of an up-and-coming force of formidable female Fine Gael representatives across the country. Those are women we still look up to today, including Monica Barnes, Nuala Fennell, Gemma Hussey, Madeleine Taylor-Quinn and Nora Owen, who ran alongside my mother in Malahide in 1979. They were able to give guidance when all of the rest of us Fine Gael women ran for election. They were women who, as Mary put it, were bright and prepared, and who knew what they were talking about. They were outspoken and serious, and nothing fazed them. They were different and bright sparks. They had great craic altogether and learned from each other. When I look around at many of my female colleagues in this House, I think we could say the same.

Mary ran unsuccessfully for the Dáil in several elections. In the general election of June 1997, she was ahead of the late Jim Kemmy by 472 votes on the tenth count but ultimately the seat went to the Labour Party.

Nonetheless she was a proud member of the Seanad, elected on two occasions between 1989 and 1993 and then 1997 and 2002. As I am sure Senator Maria Byrne will tell us more about, she made history as the first public representative from Limerick County Council to become a Senator. As we know, this House is a civilised place full of intelligent discussion and Mary loved it. It was not parochial or adversarial; it was collegial. Mary, who was a teacher, had endless opportunity to discuss matters relating to her beloved education sector and her interest in education stayed with her. She went on to design the new leaving certificate applied geography syllabus, which was one of her proudest achievements. She embodied the value of the Seanad. As I have said previously, something I have grown to appreciate during my time here is that we have people from all walks of life. I do not want to leave anyone out. Every Member of the Seanad comes from a unique background and brings something valuable to this Chamber. In addition to having a passion for education, Mary Jackman was a woman who paved the way for other women, not only in politics but in wider society, through her membership of joint committees on women's rights, health and children. It is clear from her record that, as a public representative, Mary put public service at the core of everything she did. The majority of her time in politics was prior to the abolition of the dual mandate and for a number of years she served as both a Member of the Seanad and a member of then Limerick County Council. In 1998, she became, as has been mentioned, the first lady cathaoirleach of that council. She was a pioneer in many ways and that is how we remember her; as someone who was part of a generation of trailblazing women who paved the way for those of us who have followed. She was kind, as has been said, and forever positive, which is important in politics but is often forgotten. Her record of public service sets an example for us all.

An Cathaoirleach

Cuirim fáílte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Pádraig O'Donovan. The Minister of State, Deputy Donovan is welcome. He was very friendly with former Senator Jackman. I thank him for being here today.

Senator Victor Boyhan

I welcome the family of Senator Jackman to the House. I also welcome the Ministers of State and Senators for our tribute to Mary Jackman. In a few simple words, Mary Jackman was a lady of great charm, great personality and great style. I first came to know her when I was not very involved in politics. I was on the edges of it. I was involved in an education advocacy group in Dún Laoghaire for people who were coming out of prison and had fallen out of education at the age of 15 because they had no supports. Mary Jackman was critical to our work with Monica Barnes, then a Fine Gael Deputy for Dún Laoghaire, who was a great advocate for the women's political movement, of encouraging women to join public life and of action by deed and doing her work. We met and set up a group. There was a little Dún Laoghaire training programme that embraced the Traveller community. It embraced apprenticeships and learning. People learn in different ways and at different times. Mary always said that. I found her to be a wonderful friend. More important, she led by example and she was an exceptionally good mentor and listener. Mary Jackman was a former Senator, a councillor and cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council. She was first elected a member of the council, representing the Castletroy district. She always reminded me of that and would ask whether I knew where Castletroy was. I now know where Castletroy is. It is a nice part of the world. There was a documentary recently about substantial properties in Castletroy and I was reminded of Mary and her great interest in heritage and sport. She was well-read and loved local government. She was elected to this House on two different occasions on the labour panel and served it with distinction. I looked at a photograph of her recently. My abiding memory is of a lady of charm, great personality and great style. She was always presented and stylish.

She included people and advocated for everyone. She saw herself principally not as a politician but as an advocate. I am not too sure what she would have thought of the great merger of Limerick city and county councils. I think she would have approved. She always put local people, advocacy, the community and the people before her political interests. I used to sometimes think that she was perhaps too nice for politics. It is a tough, brutal business. One does not want to lose one's unique personality in what one does and advocates.

I particularly acknowledge the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, because he gave a glowing tribute to her when she passed away. They worked well together. I also knew Mary through my connections with the Progressive Democrats. We had many a joke asking Mary to come from Fine Gael to the Progressive Democrats. It was not for her, but we joked about it. She had great respect for Des O'Malley who could be robust in his political arguments. She admired great qualities in him and shared a Limerick connection with him. She was respected by everyone across the political spectrum. She was a friend of everyone. If there is one thing it would be nice to be able to say when I finish my term in this House, it is that I might have been tough or hard, but that I was always respected and was respectful of others. That is a legacy I would like to leave. It is certainly one she left in this House.

She was committed to local government and to Limerick and deeply committed to, proud of and loyal to Fine Gael, which was her political family. Members of Fine Gael were her political friends. Fine Gael was the organisation she used to better her community and she found within it great support for her and her political objectives. She advocated well for more women in politics. We have travelled a big journey since then and new things are happening. Above all, she was a mentor to many people in her community, in enterprise and in her work on the chamber of commerce. She left a positive mark on local government and on councillor organisations and she is a person people can follow and say they would like to be her. To achieve half of what she achieved would be important. It was not altogether how she achieved it, but her style, integrity, commitment and niceness. What a simple word. When people are likeable they can achieve a lot and she did. I am glad to be part of paying tribute to her family. They must be proud to be in this House to which she was elected, not once, but twice and where she played a meaningful and successful role.

Senator Vincent P. Martin

On behalf of the Green Party grouping, I convey our deepest sympathy to the late Mary Jackman's husband, Nick, her daughter, Nicola, sister, Ursula, and her extended family. As has been said, former Senator, Mary Jackman, was first elected as a member of Limerick County Council, representing the Castleconnell electoral area in 1985. It was an exciting time in Irish politics. She went on to be a poll topper in many elections until her retirement in 2014. She has the unique distinction of becoming the first female cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council in 1999. If we could turn the clock back to 1999, we would see that she was a mould breaker and trailblazer in her electoral performance. My Government colleagues from the Fine Gael party can be proud of her. The Deputy Leader mentioned the names of many of the Senators who frequented the House at the same time. It is not an exhaustive list, but it includes people such as Monica Barnes who originally comes from close to Carrickmacross and was a proud past pupil of "the Louis" in the town; Madeleine Taylor-Quinn - thankfully some are still with us and in the prime of their health - Nuala Fennell and Mary Jackman. They all happen to come from one political grouping and that party can feel proud that they were members at a particular time in Irish politics when the voice of women was totally underrepresented. I like to think politics is a bit more accommodating today, but we still have a lot of work to do to make this a friendly workplace for women. They were ahead of their time. I acknowledge the presence in Seanad Éireann of Ministers of State, Deputies O'Donovan and O'Donnell, Deputy O'Dowd and former Deputy and Senator, Michael Finucane. Many of them, apart from Deputy O'Dowd who is from my neighbouring county, County Louth, have one thing in common, among many others, namely a central theme of Limerick.

There should have been a book written on it, if not a film made, if you look at the gigantic people who hailed from Limerick at that time. There were people like Jim Kemmy, Michael Noonan, Des O'Malley, Mary Jackman and Jan O'Sullivan, who served our country very well up to the current generation. It was a hotbed, and no doubt a competitive place to ply your trade as a public representative. The Ministers present are on record paying tribute to Mary's career as a public representative. I was particularly taken by the words of former Taoiseach, John Bruton, who said Mary was an exceptional politician, idealistic and practical. The next bit from the former Taoiseach was most interesting. He said she was never cynical, but always positive. We are living in a time in Irish politics where there is a danger people will either be chased out of it, or not incentivised to come into it. If there were more people around like the late Mary Jackman, never cynical, always positive, I believe we would attract more people into a better and more effective operation and working of the democratic system, which is our heartbeat and how we operate as an organised society.

On behalf of the Green Party I convey my deepest sympathies. My colleague from Limerick in the Lower House, Deputy Brian Leddin, speaks glowingly of former Senator Mary Jackman. Deputy Leddin and I, along with our party, want to closely associate ourselves with the preceding remarks in this Chamber from Senators Boyhan, Doherty and others.

Limerick has lost a legendary figure, but County Tipperary will also lay claim to Mary Jackman, née Furlong. Bríd McGrath, a senior researcher in the Green Party, reminded me that she was first and foremost a Tipperary woman. Between them, were the two counties not blessed and lucky to share in the life and times of the late Senator Mary Jackman?

Senator Ned O'Sullivan

I am pleased to have the opportunity to pay tribute on my behalf, and that of Fianna Fáil, to the late, great Mary Jackman. I warmly welcome her husband, Nick, daughter, Nicola, her sister, Ursula, and the rest of the family. I also welcome her Fine Gael colleagues in the Oireachtas, past and present. In particular, I welcome my neighbour, Michael Finucane.

I do not have the privilege of saying I was a personal friend of Mary Jackman. However, I can say I worked with and engaged with her for many years on a number of different authorities. Our careers have a similar trajectory. We were both elected for the first time in 1985 to our respective councils. We both became chairman or mayor of our counties. We were both English teachers. We had quite a lot in common.

I spent a lot of my time knocking around with the political pond life of Limerick in my capacity as a member of the old Limerick Harbour Commissioners, later the Limerick Harbour Board, and later still Shannon Foynes Port Company. Mary was not on any of those boards. I had the privilege of serving with Bobby Byrne, father of my colleague, Senator Maria Byrne. I enjoyed my time very much. Mary was always involved in the future of the Shannon Estuary. In that, we had common cause. The Shannon Estuary is as important to us in north Kerry, as it is to Limerick city. We found common cause there. There was a fair old battle going on at the time to try to form a single estuarial authority. The redoubtable Michael Finucane was looking after the interests of Foynes Port. We finished up with a compromise, which of course Foynes won, and it became Shannon Foynes Port Company. That is by the by.

What I liked about Mary Jackman was that she was a terrific politician. She was a real politician, who tried and tried. Like me, she fought the 1989 and 1992 general elections. We were both unsuccessful. By the time the next one came along I was well clobbered by my colleagues in the party in Kerry. However, Mary ran again and achieved a huge vote. She was very unlucky not to win on that occasion, as she was on other occasions. She was a huge poll topper in her local electoral area.

She was the kind of politician I like. There was nothing soft. She fought her corner and she won. That was at a time when women in politics were still relatively unusual. Today, we are fighting for equality, gender balance and so on. In those days, most of the councils of Ireland had no women. I was always in favour of the involvement of women in politics because my cousin Kit Ahern, a former Senator and Deputy in these Houses, was one of the first women to make it. She had a very hard battle as a woman. Those big strong men around north Kerry knocked skelps off her, just as I am sure Mary had to fight her corner in Limerick as well. Kit Ahern used to tell me that it was not the size of the dog in the fight, but of the fight in the dog. I think Mary Jackman definitely lived up to that.

I have no more to say, other than it was a pleasure to know her. Her reputation precedes her today. My party wishes sympathy to her party colleagues who obviously miss her greatly. Ar dheis lámh Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.

Senator Paddy Burke

I would also like to be associated with the expressions of sympathy to the late Mary Jackman. I served with Mary in this Chamber between 1997 and 2002. I was the Opposition Whip at that time. It was a pleasure to work with Mary Jackman. As we all know, it is difficult at times to get people to speak in Seanad Éireann, or to keep the House going. It was always the job of the Opposition to make sure it had somebody there to keep an eye on things, to see how Bills were going, and to call votes when they were to be called.

Mary Jackman was a pleasure to work with. She was a teacher, but apart from that she had great experience because of her long membership of Limerick County Council. She could speak on any subject. She was ideal. She could come into Seanad Éireann and speak on any subject from education to agriculture or whatever. Mary Jackman would never see you stuck. She would always fill the spot and she was always dependable. I have to say that about her.

As the Cathaoirleach said, she was also a sports person. She was a talented person in education, sports and in political life. Politics is not an easy place for women. At that time in particular, there were very few women in politics. I served for many years on Mayo County Council and only served with one woman on that local authority. I think that was only for one term.

It was difficult for women to get elected. However, Mary Jackman was elected to the local authority. She was elected to Seanad Éireann on two occasions. She had one particular strength which says a lot about her calibre. She was elected on the Labour Panel with Dan Neville. They were both on the Labour Panel, and both of them were from the same county and elected at the same time. It is not easy to get two people elected on the same panel, when the party might only get three or four people at most. There was never animosity between either of them. They got on very well in this Chamber, and I am sure they got on very well in the constituency as well.

As Senator O'Sullivan said, she was not that successful and was narrowly defeated on the second last occasion she ran. However, Mary Jackman broke the mould for women in politics.

Mary was a great colleague to us here in Seanad Éireann and in Leinster House. I am sure she was also a great colleague to the members of Limerick County Council with whom she served. We can see the respect in which she was held by looking at the number of Members in the Chamber today, as well as the former Members who came all the way from Limerick to hear these expressions of sympathy. It is a sad day for Limerick and for the Jackman family. I express my sympathy to Nick and the rest of the family. Mary was a great colleague and it is sad she is gone. That is life. She had a great career in politics.

An Cathaoirleach

I should have said in my opening remarks that former Senator Jackman's daughter Nicola and her grandsons Nicholas and Seán have come all the way from San Antonio, Texas, to be here today. We are grateful for their presence on this important and powerful occasion. The next speaker is Senator Ahearn, whose late mum served with former Senator Jackman in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Senator Garret Ahearn

I thank the Cathaoirleach. It is hard to follow on from the really good contributions of colleagues, especially Senator Doherty's outline of Mary's contribution as a Senator and as a woman in politics. Most speakers have touched on that. There are many people in County Tipperary, especially in the Cappawhite area, who mourned Mary's passing last year. I am sure they are listening to the contributions here today. She was Limerick through and through but she had strong connections to Cappawhite and to Tipperary.

Colleagues have spoken about Mary's incredible career, during which she ran in four elections and was elected twice to the Seanad. She was first elected to this House in the same year my mother was elected to the Dáil. There were many similarities in their experiences. It was very hard for women to get elected at the time and almost impossible for women from rural Ireland. However, they both got elected to the respective Houses in 1989 and served together. While a number of speakers mentioned that it was really difficult for women in politics back then, which it was, most of the women who got elected looked after each other. There was a great bond and friendship between most of the women who were elected in the late 1980s and early 1990s. My mother and Mary were very good friends. They had a background in education, both being teachers, and they brought that expertise to their role as parliamentarians in this House and in the Dáil. If my mother were here, she would be speaking extremely highly of Mary. Just as they soldiered together as new Members in the Oireachtas, I have no doubt Mary and my mother are in heaven now, looking down and hoping we follow on in the tradition of the trailblazing path they set back then.

I offer my condolences to Nick, Mary's other family members and the people of Tipperary.

An Cathaoirleach

The next speaker is Senator McGahon, whose uncle Brendan served in the Oireachtas with former Senator Jackman.

Senator John McGahon

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I met former Senator Jackman during the term of the previous Seanad when my then boss, the late former Senator Paul Coghlan, introduced me to her. She and her husband, whom I also met, were guests of the now Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, who was a Senator at the time. It is nice to see Nick and others of Mary's family back here again.

The career of former Senator Jackman, which included winning five local elections between 1985 and 2014, is something to which everyone in this House would aspire. Her family should be incredibly proud of the service she gave, not just to Limerick at a local level, but also nationally, serving for eight years in Seanad Éireann. As mentioned, she was 300 or 400 votes ahead of Jim Kemmy on the first count in the 1997 general election. That may not seem like much but it was approximately 1.2% in percentage terms because Limerick was a smaller constituency then. Mary was ahead consistently on every count only to be pipped in the final round by some 400 votes. It was really tight. In the subsequent by-election a few months later, she got 10,500 first preference votes and was only 170 votes behind the poll topper, Jan O'Sullivan. However, she was passed out again on transfers, which was extremely unlucky. That type of thing would usually only happen to people once in their career. For it to happen to Mary twice in the space of a few months was incredibly unlucky. It was a great shame she never had the opportunity to show her ability in Dáil Éireann.

As other Senators noted, Mary was one of those trailblazing female Fine Gael Oireachtas Members in the 1980s and 1990s. They set the tone for other Members to come in and build on their success. I refer to people like Senator Ahearn's mother, Theresa, Nuala Fennell, Mary Flaherty, Madeleine Taylor-Quinn, Gemma Hussey and Monica Barnes. When we look at the pantheon of former Fine Gael Deputies and Senators, those women are right up there. Mary Jackman has a place among some of the best female Oireachtas Members who ever had the privilege to serve as members of Fine Gael in this and the other House. That is something of which we as a political party should be, and are, very proud indeed.

I acknowledge the former colleagues in this House who are in the Chamber today, particularly my colleague from Louth, Deputy O'Dowd, who was first elected to the Seanad in 1997 alongside the late Mary Jackman, who was coming in for her second term. The Ministers of State, Deputies O'Donovan and O'Donnell, are also here, which is a testament to the impact Mary had. It is good to have my friend, former Deputy and Senator Michael Finucane here as well. The fact so many former and current politicians have made the effort to be here alongside Mary's family is a testament to how highly regarded she was by so many people. A 29-year political career, from 1985 to 2014, including two terms served in the Upper House of the national Parliament and serving the people of Limerick with such distinction, is a record of which not only her family will be proud, but of which my party and we in this House are also proud.

An Cathaoirleach

I welcome former Senator and Deputy Frank Feighan to the Gallery. I thank him for being here.

Senator John Cummins

I acknowledge the presence of the Ministers of State, Deputies O'Donnell and O'Donovan, Deputy O'Dowd and former Senator and Deputy Michael Finucane. I had the pleasure of knowing Mary from my time at the University of Limerick, where I studied to be a PE teacher. She was always a great friend to the Young Fine Gael branch in the university, being always present and willing to give of her time generously. She always had words of encouragement and advice. A number of us in that Young Fine Gael branch went on to serve in politics, including Councillor Liam Quinn in Offaly and Councillor Colm Murray in Longford. It is great that three of us from that class went on to enter politics. Mary always had a word of advice for everybody on the pathway we should follow. As colleagues have rightly said, she was very kind and generous with her time.

She was also a teacher. Being from the same background myself, I know it is a vocation in which one must give everything of oneself to the job and the students. It takes a particular type of person to nurture students and bring them along. Mary was that type of person. My dad was a good friend of Mary, even though they did not serve in the Seanad together, he having not been elected until 2002. I express my sympathy to all Mary's family members. I acknowledge the great work she did for her community. As Senator McGahon rightly said, to be elected on multiple occasions to Limerick County Council and subsequently to this House is something that should be celebrated. That is why there are so many of us here today to pay tribute to the great, late Mary Jackman.

An Cathaoirleach

The next speaker is Senator Currie, whose late dad served with former Senator Jackman in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Senator Emer Currie

I express my deepest sympathy to all former Senator Jackman's family members. The distinction of her career as both a councillor and Senator has been well described.

She was a tireless advocate who worked diligently to address the needs and concerns of the people of Castletroy. She was a founding member of the Women's Political Association in Limerick and was involved in establishing Castletroy College. One of her many achievements was being the first female cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council in 1999. That determination is still with us today because her niece is the first ever professor of physics at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, based in Dunsink Observatory in Dublin 15. I have the pleasure of knowing her niece. That determination and brilliance obviously runs in the family. I acknowledge how important today is to all her family, having recently gone through something similar myself. I hope they get everything they and she deserve out of today.

An Cathaoirleach

If I am not mistaken, former Senator Michael Finucane served on the same panel from the same county as Mary Jackman at the same time. As Senator Burke said, it shows the level of commitment and spirit in the county of Limerick. I call Senator Maria Byrne, who is behind today's events and was a very good colleague, friend, confidante and mentor of Mary Jackman.

Senator Maria Byrne

I acknowledge Nick, Nicola, Ursula, Nicholas and Seán from the Jackman family along with nephews Ray and Brian. Also in the Gallery are her friends, the Minister of State, Deputy Kieran O'Donnell, Deputy O'Dowd, the Minister of State, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, Deputy Frankie Feighan, and the former Deputy and Senator, Michael Finucane. I also have apologies from former Senator Madeleine Taylor-Quinn, who was a great friend of Mary's and wished to be here today. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, she could not be.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for hosting this tribute to the former Senator and councillor, Mary Jackman. It is a great pleasure and honour for me to be here. My friendship with Mary dates back to 1985. My father was on the council at the same time as Mary. While he was on the city council and she was on the county council, they were great friends and did so much throughout the years. I was in Young Fine Gael in 1985 and, as Senator Cummins said, Mary was so interested in all that going on not only in Fine Gael but in Young Fine Gael as well. She was a great friend and mentor to many of us. When I first ran for election in 1999 Mary was elected cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council. When I decided to let my name go forward, Mary was one of the first people to pick up the phone and encourage me to go all the way. She was so delighted that another female was possibly following in her footsteps. At that stage it was predominantly male councillors and Deputies who put their names forward. She was so encouraging and I am ever so grateful for that. Mary was on the county council and I was on the city council but we did so much together. We met at meetings and events. It was mentioned that she served as chairperson of the vocational education committee, VEC. In 2012, when the city and county VECs merged, Mary was our chair. She was so inclusive. I am thinking of her whole history in education and all she did for the lives of so many people.

Mary narrowly lost out in the 1997 general election and in the by-election after that. Being out on those canvasses, I know it was heartbreaking to come so close but not quite make it. Mary was so gracious in defeat. She was encouraging of those who were elected. That was what she was about, she was so encouraging of so many people. When I was out canvassing with her and met her former students, they all spoke so highly of her and her contribution. She touched the lives of many of her students and did a lot of things for them in the background that people did not know about. Families were so grateful for all that Mary Jackman did, not just as a councillor and Senator but also as a teacher, in the lives of so many people. Her sporting career was referred to. She captained the UCC camogie team to win the Ashbourne cup in 1965. She was also in the UCC choir when it won the all-Ireland championship. Right up to a few years before she passed away, she was involved in a choir in Castleconnell. She loved to go singing and loved a sing-song. She took an interest in everything she was involved in. She got me involved in the Women's Political Association which later became the women's federation in Limerick. Many other people served in that organisation but Mary was one of its drivers. Over the years when she was chairperson we had many inspirational speakers. Mary was often involved in bringing them forward and proposing the names. She encouraged people to get involved in politics. She always felt that we had to make a contribution.

On Christmas Eve every year, Mary always arrived to our house. It did not matter if it was 10 o'clock in the morning or 10 o'clock at night. Christmas Eve did not go by but she had to call in to wish us all a happy Christmas. That was the person Mary Jackman was. She was so thoughtful. She really loved Fine Gael and she loved politics. She would have gotten involved back in Garret's FitzGerald's time and served under many leaders. When the by-election was on, Mary was so grateful for all those who came to support her and canvass with her. It is all about the Jackman family today and it is lovely that we are here in this Chamber where Mary served to pay tribute to her warmth and kindness and to acknowledge all that she did for everybody, both in this Chamber and outside it. Mary Jackman's legacy will go on forever and a day.

Senator Gerard P. Craughwell

It is a great pleasure to be here to think about Mary Jackman with her family. Many is the good joust we had in Monaleen back in the days before I became enlightened and became an Independent by leaving Fine Gael. She was an incredible woman, a great citizen of Castletroy, Monaleen and Limerick in general. She was a great teacher in her time. I am deeply sorry that we lost her. She was a great woman in a political battle down in Limerick, God be with the days. May she rest in peace. My sympathies to all her family.

Senator Micheál Carrigy

I welcome the Jackman family and my Oireachtas colleagues in the Gallery. I extend my sympathy on their recent bereavement. I personally did not know Mary but my colleagues, the former Deputies James Bannon and Louis J. Belton, spoke very highly of her and served with her in political circles at that time. I wish to acknowledge and express thanks for her service to her community in Limerick, to the country by serving in national politics, and to the Fine Gael party over a lifetime of service.

Senator Martin Conway

I am grateful for the opportunity to pay tribute to a truly extraordinary person. I knew Mary Jackman since my young days in politics. I come from County Clare and Senator Jackman represented Limerick. As I went through college and went on to become a councillor, I got to know her extremely well. She was always full of advice. She was not afraid of being critical when she felt it was necessary, which is a sign of a true person of decency and integrity. I got to know her particularly in latter years when she and her husband went to Fanore on holidays regularly.

They would always stop off in Ennistimon on their trips to and from Fanore, and it was always a pleasure to meet her.

I often randomly met her on the street and she always had a kind word and was always inquiring as to how things were going. She would be critical in a positive way about Fine Gael's performance and would say it could always do better, and she was right. She was extremely proud when Fine Gael did so well in 2011 and had to do the job of rescuing the country. She was very proud that we were prepared and brave enough to make the hard decisions.

When Mary passed away, there was a huge sense of loss not just for the Fine Gael family in Limerick but throughout the entire mid-west and for the communities in Limerick and in Clare who had got to know her so well on a personal level. I pass on my deepest sympathies and fond remembrances to her family. They are very welcome here today.

An Cathaoirleach

I will conclude by thanking former Senator Michael Finucane for being here today. It is great to see you here, Michael. You soldiered a long time with Mary. You were good friends, and your presence today adds to our occasion. I thank our Oireachtas colleagues, Deputies Feighan and O'Dowd and the Ministers of State, Deputies O'Donnell and O'Donovan, for being here. Their presence in the Chamber today is a testimony to their friendship with and the memory they have of our friend Mary Jackman, and I thank them most sincerely for being here this afternoon.

Today is a day not just to pay tribute and to mourn but also to give thanks and to remember, as we have done this afternoon, to a wonderful person. Senator McGahon spoke about the by-election. I had forgotten about the by-election. I canvassed with my friend, former Senator Dino Cregan. We were deployed down to the heart of Limerick to canvas. Mary Jackman, as all of us have said here, lit a fire under many people in particular parts of Limerick who would never have had an opportunity otherwise. Senator McGahon very eloquently spoke about her near-election to Dáil Éireann. She never bemoaned that, at least publicly. She was very dignified and very stoic. She served in this House and, as Senator Maria Byrne said, on the council and subsequently on the VEC.

Today we remember a wonderful woman and politician. To Nick, Nicola, Ursula, the grandchildren and the rest of the family, your loss is still felt and you grieve and you mourn, but I hope you take solace from today that we as members of the parliamentary community give thanks and celebrate a wonderful person. You will, I hope, take some comfort from today. To her grandsons, remember your grandmother. She was a political figure and she left a legacy, and I hope that you can in some way walk in her footsteps.

I ask Members to stand for a moment's silence.

Members rose.

An Cathaoirleach

May she rest in peace.

Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 1.44 p.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 2.05 p.m.

Sitting suspended at 1.44 p.m. and resumed at 2.05 p.m.