I join in these expressions of sympathy to the relatives of the late Paddy Donegan who was laid to rest this morning in his native Monasterboice. As Senator Dardis said, Mr. Donegan was briefly a Member of this House, although most of his political career was spent in the Lower House. He spent four years in the Seanad, from 1957 to 1961. I first met him 35 years ago during the general election of 1965 when I was a student working in the Fine Gael press and information office in Power's Hotel. For a young person, that was an interesting and enlightening experience, and the friendships I made then were ones that lasted.
One of those friendships was with Paddy Donegan, although we were on opposite sides in the debate on the Just Society document. I was an impertinent young student but I was on the side of Declan Costello in that debate. Paddy Donegan did not approve of the Just Society document, he was a conservative and did not think it would do much good. Nonetheless, he was prepared to listen to the arguments that others, on our side, put forward. Apart from listening to us, he would bring us for a drink afterwards. As students, we always remembered the people who looked after us and bought us a pint and a steak, commodities which were not plentiful for students in those days. On the basis of the arguments we had then, a friendship developed which lasted.
Paddy Donegan held robust and strong views. As Senator Dardis said, he was tough in negotiations and discussions, but it never became personal. He could always appreciate the other point of view. He liked a good argument and would remember afterwards that his opponent had made a strong case. Within Fine Gael he came from the old Irish Party tradition with which, in 1965, I was very impatient. Over the years, however, as I got to know about that tradition, I came to respect it greatly. It contributed hugely to the development of stable politics in this country.
When Paddy Donegan was Minister for Defence there was never any doubt as to where he stood on terrorism. He lived in a vulnerable Border area, yet there was never any equivocation or sense of a sneaking regard. He always put the security and safety of the State first. This was most vividly illustrated in the famous Claudia incident in the early 1970s.
As Senator Dardis said, it would be wrong to think of somebody whose political life was so long and so varied as being pigeonholed in one Department. When he was Minister for Defence he brought to the Naval Service a sense of commitment which few previous Ministers had done. He loved the sea and knew much about maritime affairs, and that spilled over into the way in which he dealt with the Naval Service. He loved and understood the Army, whose personnel knew that and regarded him as a Minister for Defence with whom they could talk.
He was very committed to his own county of Louth and was very much a Louth man. Louth people have their own particular charms which are sometimes lost on the rest of us. One always knew where one stood because he always remained in touch with the people of County Louth.
As a member of Fine Gael, Paddy Donegan was extraordinarily loyal. He would travel the country to help colleagues. He would speak at meetings in every part of the country. He was always loyal to the leader of the party, whoever it might be. To the very end, even when his health was failing, he would turn up at Ard Fheiseanna, as very few ex-Ministers do, simply to give his moral support and show how interested he was in what was happening.
He had not been in good health in recent years. He suffered greatly because of ill health, but above all else he was lucky in his wonderful wife, Olivia, who gave him enormous support and encouragement. She was always there with him, always tolerant, right up to the very end. In that as in many other things in life, he was very lucky.
It is with great personal sadness and regret that I learned of the death of Paddy Donegan. He was a friend and somebody of whom I have very warm memories. He was generous to me at key points in my life. I express my deep sympathy to Olivia and his family.
