John Whelan (Labour)

I am pleased to add my voice and those of my colleagues in the Labour Party to pay tribute and pay our respects to the legendary Mickey Doherty. I had the privilege of knowing him when he was a member of the Midland Health Board. I often covered its meetings in Tullamore and Mickey was a guy who would fill many columns in the Longford Leader. As Senator Ó Murchú pointed out, he had a way with words and a great way with people. While he was assertive, he did not cross swords or fall foul of people but, none the less, got the job done. Perhaps I could learn from him and many of us could take a leaf out of his book in terms of how he performed his duties as a public representative.

I agree that the likes of Mickey Doherty are a great loss to bodies such as regional health boards, which were accessible and accountable and held the system to account on a monthly basis. The stories about Mickey Doherty are legion and some have gone into the folklore of the political class in the midlands. He was a great man for the "spakes". He would come out with great lines and he will always be affectionately remembered for them.

If Mickey was with us today, he would be looking forward to the Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis because he was surely Albert Reynolds's right-hand man. In a time before spin doctors and special advisers, Mickey Doherty filled all those roles for Fianna Fáil and Albert Reynolds, even when he was elevated to the highest office of the land as Taoiseach. His loyalty was to Fianna Fáil and he was unapologetic about that. He was also a fully committed community man. I extend our sincere sympathies to his family and to his second family, Fianna Fáil. He loved Fianna Fáil in the same fashion as his family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.