Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

On my behalf and on behalf of the Fine Gael Party, I join the Taoiseach in expressing our sincere sympathy and condolences to the Fianna Fáil Party, to Seán Doherty's wife, Maura, and to Rachel, Cara, Leah and Evelyn. I was in Washington when I heard of the news of the death of Seán Doherty and, unfortunately, was not in a position to attend his funeral.

I knew Seán Doherty throughout his political career, from his entrance through Kildare Street in 1977 until he left this House. In that span I knew him in three different ways — as an Opposition Deputy, as the chairman of the Western Health Board and as a member of the Opposition when I had the honour of serving as a Minister. By today's standards Seán Doherty was a relatively young man. I suppose when one gets into that category or generation, one reflects upon times past, activities in politics and Seán's achievements, both in his personal life and in a political sense.

This is an occasion to pass sympathy to his family and the party to which Seán Doherty gave his allegiance. He was a father, husband and friend. During his ministerial career he was central to many of the controversial issues in Irish political life but it is not for me, on an occasion such as this, to pass judgment on the reasons for political decisions or on the trend in politics during that time. Seán Doherty was a man of rapier wit and sharp intelligence and somebody who could more than hold his own in any company and in any conversation on a wide range of topics.

I recall his boyish glee on many occasions when he was chairman of the Western Health Board. He faced many intractable problems dealing with clinics, hospitals, consultants and all the other medical requirements, of which the Tánaiste is well aware, in County Roscommon. When those arguments ended up in a cul-de-sac, he would announce proudly to the meeting that Roscommon also had a Minister of State in the Department of Health, and the hapless Minister of State, the then Deputy Leyden, would be called to the next meeting to account for his failures to deliver on all the promises. Time and again, be it in Castlerea, Ballinasloe, Galway or Castlebar, the Minister of State would arrive to attempt to answer those intractable questions.

Seán was also a member of Roscommon County Council from 1973 to 1991. He was chairman of the health board, chairman of the Midlands Regional Tourism Organisation and a member of the Roscommon Archaeological and Historical Society. He was proud of his achievements on the Committee of Public Accounts. He took a delight in being the inquisitor of many of the people who had to appear before that committee and was proud, in a public sense, of the achievements of extracting the truth about many financial issues of the day.

Seán was somebody who could also abide by the rule of politics — never to agree when one should not. I learned that lesson to my own cost in 1986. As a Minister of State at the then Department of Education I had the privilege of opening the Ballinlough football pitch in Peadar Earley Park where the addresses of welcome were given by all and sundry. The late Seán Doherty's speech, given with a twinkle in his eye, was about the disgraceful conduct of the Government in putting rates on GAA buildings, VAT on hurleys and so on. When it was over he said to me, "You know yourself. You are in Roscommon and these are my crowd". His crowd returned him repeatedly through the secrecy of the ballot box to represent them and, irrespective of people's views of Seán Doherty as a man and as a politician, one cannot argue with the verdict the people gave time and again.

I offer my sympathy to Maura and to Seán's family who are in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. The people who loved Seán Doherty supported him for the man they saw him to be and were happy to support him in that context. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis, agus tá súil agam gur ar dheis Dé a bhéas sé as seo amach sna Flaithis.

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