Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

His first intervention was certainly a memorable occasion. He was a fascinating, friendly and chatty man. I suppose that in today's very politically correct politics, where it is more about soundbites and spin doctors than substance, he would be a little lost, but he was a colossus in the politics of Longford and the midlands, and in the Fianna Fáil Party, for all of his political career.

During last year's Seanad election, as I was touring the highways and byways of County Longford, I was travelling on a road I did not know when I suddenly saw Mickey Doherty standing by the wall of his lovely house. I stopped the car and reintroduced myself to him, as we had not met for a number of years and his health was failing. Not surprisingly, he invited me in for tea, and we had a lovely chat and half an hour's conversation about life and times then and now. I was pleased to have that opportunity to meet him after so many years. As my Fianna Fáil colleagues have said, he was very close to the former Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds, and they enjoyed their times together. Their style and approach to life and politics were very similar.

I will conclude with something I read in the local newspapers. I really regret that I was unaware of his death, as I certainly would have attended his funeral. I apologise to his family, but I was unaware of it until I read about it in the media some days afterwards. The former Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, who gave the graveside oration, used a phrase that sums up Mickey. He said that on one occasion when they were having a debate or clash about the disadvantaged areas scheme, Mickey described himself as being "a slightly handicapped man from a severely handicapped area". That is a perfect summary of Mickey - serious and humorous all rolled into one. He had a great political career and a great business career with his Fine Gael colleague, Victor Kiernan. He saw the bigger picture in life. He knew that politics was important but it was not the most important thing. Rather, friendship and community and helping one's neighbours formed the biggest piece of the jigsaw for him, and he was supreme at that.

As Senator Ó Murchú said, he is a colleague who will be long spoken of. When I looked at the record I actually thought he had served here for five years, or two terms, and I was surprised to see he had served for only one term. It is amazing that in that one short term he left such a legacy that even people who never met him have heard about him and are entertained by stories of what he got up to. We will certainly remember him here in Leinster House, but I am sure he will be remembered by his family and the people of Longford as a decent politician who genuinely did the State some service.