Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan sends her apologies. I represent the Independent Deputies and Senators. I welcome the ambassador. I offer my deepest sympathy to the family of Nelson Mandela and to the people of South Africa. His death was a very sad day for that country and also for the international community which held Nelson Mandela in such high regard. His name is associated with the attributes of courage, freedom, grace, dignity, humour and reconciliation. He has been a major influence on his own people but also on many Irish people, as previous speakers have said. I heard about the protests against apartheid when I was a young teenager and I learned about the situation in South Africa. In 1984, like my colleague, Deputy Seán Crowe, I am very proud to have been one of those people who joined the picketers. I worked in Dorset Street at the time and I used to come out every evening after school and do an hour or two on the picket line with the strikers. It was a very lonely place in 1984 and there was not a lot of support for them. A gang of us got together and we raised money for the Dunnes Stores strikers. The ambassador and the South African people acknowledged the role they played. The name of the shopworkers' trade union was IDATU. Two good friends of mine were involved in that union, Brendan Archibald and John Mitchell, who were instrumental in bringing that motion on boycotting South African goods through the union's national conference. Mandela inspired us all to fight discrimination, injustice and inequality. A group of people who grew up in Ireland were strongly influenced by him.

I express my appreciation of his role in and support for the Irish peace process. I also acknowledge the ambassador's strong support for the conflict resolution proposals to which Deputy Crowe referred. Mandela was one of the people who pushed for inclusive politics and he supported freedom, democracy and justice. He knew the hurt of isolation, and he knew the hurt of discrimination and the hurt of racism. We have witnessed sectarianism on this island. I thank the ambassador for his role and for the role played by Nelson Mandela in helping us to get out of a very bad mess. This has not been forgotten and is deeply appreciated.

President Obama and President Raul Castro shook hands at yesterday's funeral service.