Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 18 Jun 1998

Vol. 156 No. 2

Tribute to Journalist.

Mr. Cassidy

Before the Order of Business, I wish to pay tribute to Mr. Joe Power, who is retiring today and who has been a trusted and respected journalist in this House for many years. Joe joined the Irish Independent in 1956 and in the succeeding years was a courts reporter as well as an aviation correspondent with the Evening Herald. He went on to become religious affairs correspondent with the Irish Independent 35 years ago and in this role formed a strong relationship with the leaders of many Christian churches. He covered the election of two Popes and every senate of Popes since the Second Vatican Council.

Joe Power is one of the most respected and trusted journalists in Irish journalism today. He became known to Members of the Oireachtas on a personal level in the mid 1960s when he became a regular in the Oireachtas Press Gallery and covered the Seanad and Dáil. Over the past 20 years he has covered Seanad proceedings. On behalf of Members, I wish him health and happiness in his retirement; his wife Pansy and daughters Justine and Caroline have a very good friend. I look forward to perhaps reading Joe's memoirs of his years in journalism in years to come.

Mr. Manning

I am pleased to join in the tributes to Mr. Joe Power on the occasion of his retirement. I do not think Joe Power will be offended by my description of him as an old style journalist. He is old style in the best sense of the words in that he has always been accurate and fair. He is a very humane person for whom facts are sacred.

We have come to know Joe Power as a man of great integrity and courtesy. There is never a spin or twist put on the stories he writes or any innuendo and jibes contained therein. He has always treated us, the people whose activities he chronicles, as decently as we have treated him. Joe Power exemplifies the best traditions of a great profession and leaves this House today with the respect of all of us. Over the years he has become friends with many people in this House but such friendship never got in the way of his reporting what he observed accurately. I hope he will have many happy years of retirement and will return to this House, not as a journalist, but as a friend. He will always be welcome here.

Mr. Ross

I strongly support the comments made by Senators Cassidy and Manning about Joe Power with whom I cross paths in many ways. I meet him in the Seanad, I meet him in the offices of Independent Newspapers and my wife meets him at religious conferences. I have never heard a bad word spoken against him in any of those spheres. He is held in enormous esteem by all who know him, not only in this House where we are all somewhat sensitive to press coverage. Joe Power has always been fair in his coverage and is universally respected in Independent Newspapers because of his way of telling things straight. He is also respected by the religious communities on which he has reported over the years. We are lucky to have had him reporting Seanad proceedings over the past years.

Mr. Costello

On behalf of the Labour Party, I would like to be associated with the tributes to Joe Power. We will all be sad to see him go because he has spent many years covering this and the other House. He worked in a professional capacity with the Irish Independent and the Evening Herald for many years. I first became aware of him when he was the religious affairs correspondent. I did not usually read much of the religious coverage in the media in depth but I read Joe's work. Members on this side know him to be a decent and honourable man of integrity. He brought honour and integrity to his profession, which is important, particularly in this day and age. He has the respect of all sides for his fresh, accurate journalism and also for his attitude and personal integrity. We wish him many years of happy retirement.

Mr. Dardis

I am delighted to join in the salute to Joe Power and to acknowledge his work in the Seanad and his distinguished journalistic career, which I am sure will continue. Senator Manning touched on an important point. It appears that old fashioned reporting is not visible any more. It does not appear to count. The quiet way that Joe goes about his work and reports what he hears and sees is what journalism should involve. In the Sunday newspapers in particular, people have opinions about everything but do not have the facts about anything. The standard of Joe's professional career and the fact that he could make sense of some of the contributions in the Seanad are a tribute to him. I acknowledge his service to journalism and the House. I wish him and his family all the best for the future. I also wish him well in whatever work he decides to undertake in the future.

Mr. Cosgrave

As the Leas-Chathaoirleach and a former Government and Opposition Whip, I extend this side's good wishes to Joe and thank him. He is from the old school of reporters. At a time when standards are falling in the journalistic world, Joe upheld the finest standards. He showed great courtesy at all times to all Members of the House. If he sought information it was given gladly to him because we knew he wanted it to ensure accuracy. I wish him and his family long health and happiness.

An Cathaoirleach

On my behalf and on behalf of all the staff of the House I wish to be associated with the many well deserved tributes paid to Joe Power. I join in the good wishes extended to him for a long and happy retirement.