Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I knew Tras Honan very well. I send my sympathies to her family and the Fianna Fáil Party. I first met her in 1982 at the funeral of Dr. Bill Loughnane in Ennis in County Clare. By golly, she was a feisty, determined, pragmatic, driven and focused politician. She loved the Seanad. When she had the opportunity she opted not to succeed Bill Loughnane in the by-election of 1982, which was won, surprise, surprise, by Donal Carey against the Fianna Fáil odds. I met her, along with Síle de Valera of whom she was a great champion. Tras was a republican in the true sense of the word. She came from a very republican family. Anyone who travelled to the ploughing championships would have known her sister, Carrie Acheson. Before we ever heard of the words "continuity announcer", we had Carrie Acheson with a Tannoy announcing that she was a continuity announcer. Carrie was making announcements about anyone who was lost or found at the championships. I dare say it because I am similar myself, she quite liked the sound of her own voice. She was a character. Anyone who met her will remember her. She was elected to the Tipperary constituency for a very short period. One of the great things is that both women were in the Oireachtas at the same time. What a proud achievement.

Tras Honan had a huge interest in the Seanad. She used to say that her place was in the Seanad. She had no ambition to go anywhere else. She put every ounce of her energy into this House. She used it creatively and successfully, and had a wonderful profile. As we know, and many have said, she was a trailblazer. She was Cathaoirleach of the Seanad on two occasions. How fitting of then Cathaoirleach to invite her back to this House last year. The image of the blue-eyed Tras shining through the photo montage at the bottom of the Seanad stairs says everything about her. She was a leading role model, an example, for young women in politics. She was a particularly pragmatic woman and it was a pleasure to know her.

Tras was a great motivator and supporter of Síle de Valera who moved from Dublin County Mid, as it was known at that time, back to a different constituency, the Banner County. That was a big thing at the time. After the by-election, Síle de Valera successfully won a Dáil seat in the subsequent general election, which she held for years.

I knew Tras well. She was a wonderful politician. She set the bar high in this House. I hope more women will come into this House and more women will sit in the Cathaoirleach's chair. Hopefully by the time we elect our next Cathaoirleach, we will have a secret ballot. We do not have it yet but I made a strong case for it last year. In the Dáil, the Lower House, there is a secret ballot for the position of Ceann Comhairle. It would be fitting, when we think of Tras Honan and her contribution, if we were to collaborate to have the Cathaoirleach of this House elected by secret ballot as well.Hopefully, there will be many women candidates that we can consider in the next Seanad election.