The funeral of Senator Liam Naughten was one of the saddest it has ever been my misfortune to attend. The loss of a young father of a young family in these circumstances is truly appalling. The gravity of this blow only really comes home to one when the person killed is known and liked as much as I and other Members of the House knew and liked Liam Naughten. The impact of this appalling tragedy has been felt throughout the country in recent days.
There are many reasons people feel this loss so deeply. One reason is that in his political life Liam Naughten respected the dignity of all those with whom he came into contact. Despite the very competitive political environment in which he had to work, he was able, through his courtesy, to make no enemies. He was in the truest sense of the term a man of extreme courtesy and kindness to others; he respected people.
It is fair to say that he performed his duties as Cathaoirleach with great dignity. I remember the speech he gave here on the occasion of the address by President Clinton to the Houses of the Oireachtas. I know that you, a Cheann Comhairle, will feel his loss in particular as he was your close colleague and performed a similar function in the other House to the one you perform here.
It should be noted that he attained high constitutional office because the people who knew him best, his immediate colleagues in the Seanad, had confidence in him. It is great to have the confidence of large numbers of people who do not know you well but it is difficult to attain the degree of confidence Liam had from the people who knew him really well. His colleagues on both sides of the Seanad had confidence in him, relied on him and knew him to be a man of great character.
On behalf of the Government and Fine Gael, Liam's party, I extend sympathy to his widow Mary and to his children Denis, John, Liam Óg, Joseph, Seamus, Dermot, Marian and Áine.