Before I go to the Order of Business, on behalf of the House I express our sympathy to the family of a former Member, Lord Iveagh, who died recently.
Death of Former Member. - Expression of Sympathy.
On behalf of the Fine Gael Party, I wish to be associated with the vote of sympathy. I did not know Lord Iveagh but those who knew him said he was a very decent, gentle person who was very proud to be in this House. I would like also to send our sympathy to his family.
On the day the Taoiseach nominated Lord Iveagh to the House I had the privilege of walking through the gates with him and the headings in the papers at that time were "The boss and the shop steward arrive at the Seanad." It is not quite true, because he never was a boss in the sense of being bossy. He was a thorough gentleman, very modest and retiring, and dedicated to supporting Irish charities. Up to his last days he was still a member of the board of the Iveagh Trust which through the generosity of the Guinness family has been allocating tenancies to people at reasonable rates down the years. It is not generally known that he also played a major role in the provision of houses in the Terenure area for Guinness employees in order to save Dublin Corporation having to house them. There is a great family tradition there but the man himself, because he did not say a lot, possibly was not fully understood. He also played a major role in the arts.
On behalf of the Independent group I would like to be associated with the vote of sympathy to the Dowager Countess of Iveagh and the other members of Lord Iveagh's family. The firm of Arthur Guinness has had a very long and distinguished connection with the city of Dublin in particular and with Irish business life for many generations. They have always been very positive as sponsors of cultural events and very active in giving good employment. The holding of a Guinness clerkship to third class turns up frequently in the works of Myles na gCopaleen as a plum to be aimed at.
Lord Iveagh was also associated with many enterprises of a charitable nature in Dublin. Just this morning I was reading the report of the Committee of the Friends of St. Patrick's Cathedral; and one of the prominent members of that board, and somebody whose family has had a very long connection with St. Patrick's Cathedral, was the late Earl of Iveagh. He was also on the board of the Adelaide Hospital. As my colleague, Senator Harte said, he was associated with so many charitable and positive things in this city that one can only regret his death at such a sadly early age.
On behalf of the Progressive Democrats I offer our sympathy to the Guinness family on the death of Lord Iveagh. I did not know him personally, but he was a great ambassador for the country and very conscious of his Irishness. He will be sadly missed by all of us.
Members rose in their places.