It is with deep regret that we learned of the death of Tom McEllistrim, a former Member of this House and of the lower House. I knew Tom throughout all my political life and I knew his father before Tom came on the scene. In 1974 when I was elected to Kerry County Council in the same electoral division as Tommy Mac, which was the Tralee division, I received help, advice and guidance from him. He was affectionately known as Tommy Mac throughout Kerry. There was a period when part of south Kerry, namely the Dingle peninsula, was part of the constituency of Kerry North, so Tommy Mac was also our TD for many years.
Tom lived in Ballymacelligott and was first elected to the Dáil in 1969, succeeding his late father, also Thomas, who served as a Deputy for Kerry North between 1923 and 1969. Some years ago, shortly before Tommy lost his seat in the Dáil, a huge celebration was held in Ballymacelligott by the McEllistrim family of 60 years of unbroken service to the people of Kerry.
He continued a long tradition of public service and served with distinction as a Minister of State, Dáil Deputy and a county councillor. He came from very strong Fianna Fáil roots and was fiercely loyal to his party, something that maybe is not as relevant today as it was then. I say that without any disrespect to any other party but Tommy only saw one party – the Fianna Fáil Party. It was back and white with him and that was it and he made no apologies to anyone for that.
Tom served as a Dáil Deputy until 1987, as has already been mentioned, when he lost his Dáil seat to the former leader of the Labour Party, Deputy Dick Spring, by a margin of four votes. To most people this would be a very severe blow, but surprisingly Tommy took it in his stride. He knew the ups and downs and the cut and thrust of political life and he accepted that he had lost his seat by the smallest of margins. He was then nominated by the then Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, to serve in this House. He served with quite a number of people who are here today.
Tom was a great representative of the people of Kerry and was very active locally and nationally. He was a great source of support and strength to everyone. Even until last Christmas he was still an adviser to quite a few of what one might call the grassroots people of Kerry. They still went to him and looked on the family with reverence. I pass Tom Mac's house every week when I come and go to Dublin and I went down to Tom's just before Christmas. It was with some surprise, to be quite truthful, that I learned of his death. It was a bit of a shock to me because I did not realise he was so ill.
Tom can take a fair amount of credit for much development in Kerry, particularly the Kerry county airport, just at his doorstep. He served Kerry County Council for many years and is now succeeded by another Tom McEllistrim. He worked tirelessly for everybody. I join with other Senators in this vote of sympathy to his wife, Marie, his son Tom McEllistrim and his daughter Anne. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.