Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Ar son an Comhaontas Glas ba mhaith liom mo chomhbhrón a chur in iúl do Noreen, bean chéile Liam Burke, dá iníonacha, Emma agus Catherine, dá dheirfiúracha, Mary agus Kitty, a dheartháireacha, John agus Gerry agus an chlann ar fad.

It is a shock, politically, for the Fine Gael Party and its leader, Deputy Kenny to lose a man of the standing of Liam Burke. On a personal level I did not know Liam well. However, any time that I met him I found him to be among the most charming and polite of individuals. It was always a pleasure to meet him. He was a man given to smiling and this is something I will always remember him for. Whatever the motive, he was always able to smile about it. That in itself was an endearing quality in a man who was not just kind but also statesmanlike at all times. He did good not just for Cork, but for politics overall. He portrayed politics in a courteous and statesmanlike manner and that reflects well on many people in public life. We owe a great debt of gratitude to him and his family, as do the people of Cork in particular.

As colleagues have said, I know he was great company on the train between Cork and Dublin and he will be sorely missed by many people. His funeral, indeed, bore testament to that. It is particularly sad, also, for a man who was, no doubt, looking forward to a longer retirement, that Liam is gone from us. In many ways, however, he leaves behind a legacy that is worthwhile. If he were here today, he would enjoy the tributes. They are all heartfelt and very genuine.

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