It is intended to take expressions of sympathy on the deaths of Mr. Flor Crowley, Dr. Noel Browne and Mr. Lionel Booth now. The Order of Business proposals shall be taken after that. It is proposed that the expressions of sympathy shall be taken together and shall be confined to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and party leaders and shall not exceed five minutes in each case.
Expressions of Sympathy.
Are the arrangements for taking the expressions of sympathy agreed?
It is customary to take parties in order of size.
That is being done.
That is not the way it was read out. I mean no disrespect to the Tánaiste's party.
The arrangements are agreed.
In the interval between the dissolution of the last Dáil and the assembly of this Dáil the deaths occurred of three respected former Members of this House — Flor Crowley, Noel Browne and Lionel Booth. All of them contributed in their own way to make this country a better place for others. May they rest in peace.
Flor Crowley's active career in national politics began in 1965 when, against the odds, he was elected as a Fianna Fáil Deputy for the Mid-Cork constituency. Serving in both the Upper and Lower Houses until 1982, Flor had a distinguished career. He always served his constituency diligently and was most active in the Oireachtas, especially as a member of the Dáil Committee on Public Accounts.
The Fianna Fáil organisation and all the people of Cork are particularly saddened at Flor's passing in light of the tremendous service he gave to that county as a TD representing Mid-Cork and later Cork South-West and then as a Senator and for many years as a member of Cork County Council. Flor was a larger than life figure who always had a genial smile. He was a man of deeply held views and beliefs, in every sense a man of the people. He was naturally thrilled in 1994 to see his son, Brian, elected so comfortably as a Member of the European Parliament.
I am proud to say Flor was a personal friend of mine and that he enjoyed strong friendships on all sides of both Houses of the Oireachtas. Is trua linn go mór a bhás ach beidh sprid Flor Crowley linn i gcónaí.
Dr. Noel Browne will be remembered for many and varied reasons. Foremost among these was his courage to follow his beliefs. He was fearless in taking on great causes and was most formidable in arguing his case with all those who disagreed with him. He displayed something of Swift's ‘savage indignation'.
Noel Browne was first elected to the Dáil in 1948 as a Clann na Poblachta Deputy and he was immediately appointed Minister for Health. He quickly spearheaded a valiant and successful crusade to eradicate tuberculosis, a disease affecting thousands of families which had already devastated his family, claiming his father, mother and aunt. Noel also suffered from the disease at that time. In tackling TB, and his other famous work on the mother and child scheme, much of which had been pioneered by Fianna Fáil and was a watershed in Church-State relations, Noel Browne put the health and welfare of the people at the top of the Government's agenda. As Minister for Health, he vigorously planned and implemented a hospital building programme and ensured that the dreaded scourge of TB was eventually banished from Ireland.
However, he should not be remembered only for the many practical arrangements which he made, but for the challenging vision he possessed which brought about the introduction of many innovations in health and social welfare services which we nowadays take for granted.
Noel Browne also served the people and the Oireachtas well in Opposition, serving as an Independent and with the National Progressive Democratic Party, the Fianna Fáil Party and the Socialist Labour Party for Dublin South East and Dublin North Central between 1948 and 1982. I am proud that for a few years at least he was a member of my party and in his autobiography he acknowledged his empathy with the rank and file of Fianna Fáil. He also served as a Senator from 1973 to 1977. In all his different roles he campaigned without ceasing for the people's good because he always was at heart a people's champion.
Nuair a bhí sé réidh leis an pholaitíocht, chuaigh Noel siar go Connemara don Ghaeltacht agus don Ghaeilge, a chuir áthas ar a chroí. Is trua linn a imeacht.
We also recall the long, fruitful and dedicated life of former Fianna Fáil Deputy Lionel Booth. Born in 1914, Lionel witnessed almost every significant event in Irish history this century. Prior to his career in politics, Lionel Booth served his country well as a captain in the Army during the Emergency. Lionel's service at local level was evident in his membership of Dublin County Council and Dún Laoghaire Corporation during the 1950s.
Lionel was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1957 and he continued to serve his constituency of Dún Laoghaire most diligently for the next 12 years. His presence in the Dáil was testimony to his patriotism, though coming from a different tradition to the majority, and also demonstrated the more general desire present from the beginning that our political system should show tolerance and inclusiveness long before anyone began to speak about pluralism.
A qualified solicitor, Lionel Booth will probably best be remembered as an astute businessman. He was both the joint managing director of Booth Poole and Company Limited from 1956 and managing director of the Brittain Group from 1970.
On my own behalf, and on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party, I wish to convey our deepest condolences to the widows and families of those great Irishmen. Ar dheis láimh Dé go raibh an triúr.
I join with the Taoiseach in paying tribute to the memory of three former Members of the House whom we have lost in a short space of time since the House last met.
I remember Flor Crowley as a particularly close personal friend. I met him first over a lengthy period when we were on business abroad which, as Members of the House will be aware, are occasions when one finds it possible to get to know members of other parties away from the normal antagonisms of political life in this House. I always considered him to be one of my close friends in politics. He had a constant, and apparently mischievous, twinkle in his eye but there was never any malice behind it. He enjoyed good company. He enjoyed his friends and family. As the Taoiseach said, he was particularly proud at the success of his son, Brian, who followed him into the political arena.
Flor Crowley was a distinguished sportsman in his youth. He played rugby at a very high level and he carried the same robust good humour into politics. He made friends in this House in all parties and he will be missed.
I am pleased that I, as Taoiseach, was represented at his funeral by my aide de camp, who was able to convey to the Crowley family my personal feelings about the loss they had suffered.
I also join the Taoiseach in paying tribute to the memory of Dr. Noel Browne who was a doctor in the best traditions of medicine. He put care for his patients and concern for their welfare at the top of his agenda. He went into politics because he recognised his patients were affected by problems, notably tuberculosis, which could not be tackled without taking political action. It was that concern for his patients' welfare — contained in the Hippocratic Oath, which he took when qualifying as a doctor — which drove him through his political career. In my recollection he was one of the most eloquent speakers in this House. He was at his most devastating when speaking most quietly. When he spoke in an almost inaudible whisper, he vigorously flayed his opponents and those with whom he disagreed.
I also had the privilege of knowing briefly the former Deputy Lionel Booth, who will be remembered not only as a Member of this House but as a successful businessman who gave substantial employment through his company, Booth Poole, on the west side of Dublin. He was a man of unfailing courtesy and great dignity. His work in this House was marked by a dignified demeanour which brought respect to political life. He could have lived a comfortable and successful life if he had not entered politics and that he chose to do so in the interest of public service is a tribute to his memory and perhaps a small consolation to his family at this time of loss. On behalf of Fine Gael, I express sympathy to the families of Flor Crowley, Noel Browne and Lionel Booth.
On behalf of the Parliamentary Labour Party I echo the remarks of the Taoiseach and Deputy Bruton on the sad deaths of three former colleagues, Flor Crowley, Noel Browne and Lionel Booth. Each of them made contributions to public life in different ways but served the people of their constituencies and of Ireland well. I extend the deepest sympathy to their families.
I join with the Taoiseach, Deputy Bruton and Deputy Spring in offering my condolences and those of the Progressive Democrats to the families of the late Flor Crowley, Lionel Booth and Noel Browne. Much of what was said is true. Noel Browne was a remarkable man, not just because of his contribution to public life but also because of the manner in which he sought to change attitudes. The attitude adopted to the mother and child scheme shows the great progress made in the intervening years. As the Taoiseach and Deputy Bruton said, he was a pioneer in many ways such as seeking to rid the country of tuberculosis and the manner in which he dealt with so many public issues. Until his death he was forthright in expressing his point of view.
I served with Flor Crowley when I first entered the House 20 years ago and I knew him well. More recently he was proud of the outstanding victory his son Brian achieved in the European elections of 1994. As the Taoiseach said, that brought him great joy. His death is a sad loss to his family, his wife and his son and I express my sympathy to them.
I did not know Lionel Booth but as Deputy Bruton said, we need to see more people from his professional and business background prepared to serve. That he came from a minority religion is even more important in a country which is often dominated by majoritarianism. I accept what others have said about his very distinguished career in this House, in addition to his distinguished career in business.
I join with colleagues on both sides of the House in conveying my sympathy and that of my party, Democratic Left, to the family and friends of the late Lionel Booth, Flor Crowley and Noel Browne. I did not know Flor Crowley or Lionel Booth, except by reputation and from newspaper reports of Lionel Booth's business activities and Flor Crowley's work in the House.
Noel Browne was a political inspiration to my generation. Anyone who grew up in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s would know of Noel Browne and those of us on the left, especially, took great courage from his stances on a range of issues. I do not know if many people remember when dogs were set on him and Jack McQuillan during an antiapartheid march, which resulted in a court case which he won. That is a small demonstration of the kind of man he was. He never dodged an issue or decision, although in many cases it meant a harder life for him. We owe a great deal of gratitude to those three men, but particularly to Noel Browne for the stances he took and the courage he demonstrated in politics.
On behalf of the Green Party, I join with my colleagues in expressing sympathy to the family and friends of the late former Deputies Flor Crowley, Noel Browne and Lionel Booth. I knew Flor Crowley to some extent, although not as well as other Members did. I knew him as a legendary figure in west Cork politics when I was teaching in Dunmanway. From a local perspective, there is no doubt the name of Crowley was synonymous with Flor Crowley in that area. Anytime I passed through Bandon on my way to Green Party meetings in Cork I saw the name of Crowley and that memory will live on for many years. He left a legacy of hard work for the people of Cork and has an excellent successor in his son Brian, who is an MEP for Munster and of whom he was justly very proud.
I have read a considerable amount about Dr. Noel Browne and, as has been said, he was an inspiration to many people involved in any form of radical change. Is mór an cailliúnt é do pholaíocht na tíre seo. Bhí clú air de bharr an chonspóid a bhain leis an scéim máthair agus linbh. Many other things which he did so quietly will also be referred to many times after his passing.
At this time we need, in particular, to reflect on his views on ethical investment. He questioned the use of the Irish Sweepstakes money — he wanted it to be spent on health services rather than just being invested. His example should be followed today in terms of ethical investment.
I did not know the late Deputy Lionel Booth but I knew he was a TD for Dún Laoghaire. I never heard a bad word said about his long years of service. He was always respected and brought a level of respect to politics which needs to be maintained and enhanced today. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamn uilig.
Deputy Higgins (Dublin West) rose.
I note the Deputy is offering but I wish to point out it is a ruling of the Chair that a single Deputy has never been regarded as a party. It is a long established ruling of the Chair that a party must consist of two or more Members. However, I hesitate to confine the Deputy on an issue as sensitive as an expression of sympathy. If the Deputy agrees to be very brief I will allow him to say a few words, but that is not to be taken as a precedent.
I will be very brief. I wish to speak about the memory of Noel Browne, with whom I was acquainted. Noel Browne was a socialist who detested the inordinate power and influence wielded by a small and powerful élite within society to whom he often referred as drawing their power from the economic interests and resources they controlled. He attempted and did speak out on behalf of those ordinary people often at the receiving end of that power improperly wielded. He attempted to voice their interests, views and feelings.
The energy with which he pushed for the mobilisation of resources to tackle the terrible scourge of tuberculosis, then largely a disease of the poor, is that for which he will be remembered most.
The best tribute which could be paid to the late Noel Browne would be not to engage in the ritual of words of sympathy but rather to make every possible effort now to mobilise resources to end today's scourge on today's poor, that of addiction to heroin, through investment and a sustained attack, with the requisite resources, to root it out. Communities are already taking action themselves to do so, because of the absence of political action in the past, pay a tribute to the memory of a fine socialist.
Members rose in their places.