Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 14 May 1980

Vol. 94 No. 3

Death of President Tito: Expression of Sympathy.

Mr. E. Ryan

I move:

That Seanad Éireann extends its deep sympathy to the Parliament and people of Yugoslavia on the death of President Tito; and that the Cathaoirleach transmit this Resolution to the Parliament.

Throughout his life President Tito dedicated himself to the freedom and unity of his country. He embodied to a remarkable degree the tenacity of the people of Yugoslavia in adhering to these ends. His political philosophy may not have been one with which everyone would agree but his stature in his country and, indeed, on the world stage was enormous. His death has been mourned throughout his country. It is right that the Seanad should extend sympathy to its Parliament and people.

Mr. Cooney

On behalf of the Fine Gael group I would like to support the resolution. Marshal Tito commended world wide admiration, both for his record of renowned guerilla leader during the battle against fascism, and subsequently in maintaining the independence of his country under threat from another kind of totalitarianism. His tenacity in doing that invoked the admiration of the entire world. It is right that we should place it on record.

Professor Keating

I would like to add my voice to that of the two Senators who have just spoken. There are three things in paying tribute to President Tito that strike us from the viewpoint of a country like Ireland. The first is that, more than any other single person, he welded into a single nation groups that were diverse by language, religion, culture and tradition. He made Yugoslavia a coherent state and that has a relevance for us. It was a remarkable achievement and clearly, as we see since his death, it is a lasting achievement. The second point is important in that he upheld, with the whole people, but he embodied more than any other individual in Yougoslavia, the independence of his country regardless of the place from which it was threatened.

The third reason that I feel pleased to be able to say a few words is an aspect of internal policy in Yugoslavia of particular interest to myself. Yugoslavia has led the way in finding mechanisms whereby the whole structure of society, in particular the structure in industry, was genuinely flexible and democratic and is now within a socialist framework. Any one of the three achievements that I have mentioned would have been a reason to honour him around the world. To think that one man could have embodied all three in a fruitful lifetime is certainly reason to mark with our sympathy his passing and to extend that sympathy to the Parliament of his country.

Dr. Martin

I would like to associate myself with everybody who has spoken already in favour of the motion, and particularly with what Senator Keating has said because the most remarkable thing in the life of a very remarkable man, in the life of one of the political giants of this age—to that extent I totally endorse what Senator Keating has said—is that from Tito more than from anybody we Irish could learn something about how to dissolve or at least reconcile the cultural differences and diversities which make up the whole body of Irish life. The other reasons are obvious, his extraordinary tenacity and courage in the face of Russia on the one hand and Germany on the other, a long life devoted to maintaining the sovereignty and the freedom of his own people, his tenacity in holding to his own ideology, his outstanding example of creative patriotism in his own time. It is in these terms that I should like to support the motion.

Professor Murphy

I want to add my voice to the general expression of sympathy. President Tito was a man of war who became a dedicated international man of peace. He was a communist who successfully defied Big Brother Slav to take his own road to socialism. He was a bright vision to his own people and, as has already been suggested by Senators Keating and Martin, a particular inspiration to us in Ireland in that he showed that a nation can be created out of conflicting tribes, a task which we have not even begun to undertake.

Mr. Mulcahy

Since a number of contributions have been made about the achievements of this great man, I would not like the opportunity to go by without noting and placing on record a particular achievement which he brought about. He introduced methods of managing society which for us could provide some very good learning. I am not going to elaborate on this but I will mention one specific contribution, the role of added-value as a central purpose in society. The Constitution of Yugoslavia contains a statement that that is the purpose of economic activity. I should like to record on a very important occasion like this that this was his policy and would note for the House that perhaps some time in the future, when societies are examining how they manage themselves, they will remember President Tito was the first to do this.

Question put and agreed to.

Members rose in their places.