Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

I was very sorry, on a personal basis, to hear of the passing of Liam Burke. On my own behalf and that of my Labour Party colleagues, I extend to Deputy Kenny and the Fine Gael Party our condolences. I join with the Taoiseach in offering our sympathies to his wife, Noreen, his daughters, Catherine and Emma and to his extended family. As has been said by both the Taoiseach and Deputy Kenny, former Deputy Liam Burke was a very popular figure in this House. That is something that could not be said, perhaps, about some of the rest of us. I have never known anyone in the House who had an ill word to say about Liam Burke. That is an exceptional obituary at the end of such a very long period of service to his constituents in Cork.

He was a very popular and colourful figure, a man of great decency and integrity. He particularly saw himself as being the representative of the second city, as the Taoiseach has said, and was very proud of his period as Lord Mayor of Cork. He gave very long service. He was a people's man and was especially popular in many areas where traditionally Fine Gael might not have been considered to have much support. Liam Burke was one of the exceptions to that rule, however. I was sorry, indeed, to see him resign from politics. He was one of the people that one misses in this House. On behalf of the Labour Party and myself I ask his family to accept our sincere sympathy.

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