Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

Many in west Dublin were shocked to learn of the death of Liam Lawlor in a Moscow traffic accident. For Hazel and a fine family in Niall, Gerald, Shane and Ciara, and many friends in the area, there was understandable shock and horror at the episode.

Many more who did not know Liam Lawlor well were shocked at how the press reported these events. The inaccuracies have been brought to light but despite that no proper apology or explanation has been given to the people of Ireland as to why these inaccurate statements were published. There is also the issue of the fundamental lack of respect for the funeral custom that has always obtained in this country. Deputy Kenny touched on this earlier and Deputy Rabbitte quoted one of the noblest Romans of all in that context. I read in one newspaper the comment that the remains of the disgraced Deputy were now arriving in Dublin. To my mind, the disgrace lies with the person who would write such a thing for publication. It belongs to those who abuse their pulpit in that manner.

We all knew former Deputy Liam Lawlor well. It is worth stating that no adverse finding was made against him by any court or tribunal prior to his death. He had a procedural contretemps which led to his incarceration by a particular tribunal but it did not involve an adverse finding related to his political conduct. History must judge these matters now and make the final assessment referred to by Deputy Rabbitte. No doubt that assessment will be made, although I am not sure any tribunal can arrive at a definitive conclusion given that he is no longer in a position to contradict whatever is said against him. Many in the legal profession believe he would have been an outstanding advocate. He displayed an extraordinary forensic skill in his dealings with the tribunals in recent years.

He was brought up in the Moracrete Cottages off the Crumlin Road in Dublin and was educated in Synge Street CBS and Bolton Street College of Technology. He belonged, and he never made any apologies for it, to the working class of this city. He had a certain suspicion of those who claimed to have a superior insight into the requirements of that group. As a constituency Deputy, he was tireless in his efforts for the poorer elements in his constituency. He gave time and effort to them and no person's problem was too insignificant.

He hurled for Dublin and for Leinster in the Railway Cup. He was tough on the field and courteous off it. My late father fought seven election campaigns with him — I hesitate to say against him because they got along well — but those were tough campaigns, and I had the pleasure of fighting one campaign with him. He certainly knew how to campaign, and I do not mean that in a derogatory manner. He had a great insight into the political psychology of the voting public. He had an immense grasp of detail and a practical way of advancing the case of any constituent. Anyone who fought an election with or against him will testify to his extraordinary ability to mobilise voters. We are often charged with clientilism, a code for saying that we stay close to our voters. As long as we maintain the single transferable vote in the multi-member constituency, we will continue to have clientilism whether we like it or not and Liam Lawlor was certainly able to practise that.

He was a man of immense intelligence, there is no question of that. He was a self-made man and his ambitions, like many self-made men, knew no bounds. He was very proud of his family and I am glad to see Hazel and his brother here today, and others of his family, and I extend my sympathy to Hazel and his children, Niall, Gerald, Shane and Ciara. I agree with all other Deputies that they have conducted themselves with tremendous dignity during the recent obsequies at the airport and Lucan. No doubt they have very happy memories and I hope what was said today will add to those memories.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

See this speech in context