David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am quite relieved that he is dead because he had a most terrible, agonising illness and on a human level I hope that he is at peace.

The desperate efforts to keep him alive were really awful for him. He obviously inspired huge devotion. When his deputy was speaking today, his voice was breaking with emotion. Significant numbers of the poor, deprived and marginalised people in Venezuela will feel the same way. Apparently there were mixed views on him, but he was democratically elected. He was not a dictator.

We should also remember today the wonderful courage of an Irish television crew who were present when attempts were made to organise a really dangerous coup sponsored by the CIA against Hugo Chávez, and taking the ball on the hop they were there to record it in a magnificent documentary called "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised". We should be proud as a people that our good journalists played such an important role in that.

It is appropriate that we extend sympathy to the Venezuelan people who have lost a great leader and the Government of Venezuela.