Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

On behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party and on my own behalf, I extend my deepest sympathy to Deputy Rabbitte and the Labour Party on the death of Eileen Desmond on 7 January. Eileen was one of the earliest women to be elected to this House as a Labour Deputy. As Deputy Rabbitte said, she was one of the first women since Countess Markievicz to be a member of the Government.

The circumstances of Eileen's election to national politics 40 years ago were dramatic and historic. Her husband, Deputy Dan Desmond, had died suddenly, leaving her to care for their two young daughters, Paula and Honor. She stood in the ensuing by-election for the Labour Party and won the seat. The then Taoiseach, Seán Lemass, who led a minority Government at the time, called a general election before Eileen could take up her seat. When one thinks of the circumstances at that time — the death of Dan, leaving Eileen with two young daughters, and the by-election contest — one can imagine the trauma that ensued when she had to endure a further election campaign. At this remove, one can understand the pressure she must have faced at the time. She did as she did and went on to hold her seat in the ensuing general election.

Eileen Desmond spent some time in the Seanad, serving her party and her country, after she had lost out as a result of a boundary revision. She won a seat in the European Parliament in 1979, before returning to national politics when she was elected to represent the new Cork South-Central constituency. I remember her well as Minister for Health and Minister for Social Welfare in the coalition Government between 1981 and 1982. She was always helpful in the House. She was helpful to me at that stage when I was a fairly young and active Deputy who was trying to get things done. She always showed great courtesy and kindness.

Although 18 years have passed since Eileen Desmond left the House, I remember her well. She was always a gentle and kind person. She was a political activist throughout her adult life. She always had personal concern for those who had least and struggled through life. She helped those on the margins. She enjoyed enormous respect, as well as affection, in the wider labour movement.

I join Deputy Rabbitte and the other Members of the House in extending sympathy to Eileen's two daughters, Paula and Honor. I extend the sympathies of the Fianna Fáil Party to her family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.

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