Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Déanaim mo chomhbhrón le bean chéile Chathail Uí Eochaidh, Máirín, lena chlann, go mórmhór lena mhac, Seán, atá ina Theachta Dála, agus le Páirtí Fhianna Fáil ar fad, atá tar éis ceannaire a chailliúint. Is lá brónach é seo do gach duine a thugann tacaíocht d'Fhianna Fáil. Mar Theachta Dála i dtuaisceart Átha Cliath, bhuail mé go minic le Cathal Ó hEochaidh, a bhí ina chónaí sa cheantar le fada an lá, agus ba mhinic a labhair muid le chéile mar gheall ar chúrsaí de gach sórt. Is cinnte gur dhuine é a raibh a lán taithí, eolais agus tuairimí aige. Bhí sé suimiúil i gcónaí.

In human terms, today is very much a day of bereavement, particularly for Charlie Haughey's wife and family, but also for all his supporters and the Fianna Fáil Party generally. It is also a political event as evidenced by the Government's decision to grant Mr. Haughey a State funeral. As a Deputy and Minister for many years, he served under former taoisigh Seán Lemass and Jack Lynch. As Taoiseach, he led Governments which included the former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds and the current Taoiseach. In many ways, Charles Haughey epitomises a different time, a time of Noel Browne, a much younger looking Tony Gregory, The Workers' Party and the Progressive Democrats with whom he came to have a very interesting relationship, as the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has outlined.

However, Charles J. Haughey could also be said to be someone who delighted in the maxim that politics is the art of the possible. If anything, he tested that maxim to breaking point, which will be an issue for debate in the days and years to come. There is no doubt that his story is one of the most colourful ever told about anybody involved in Irish politics. He had an ability to dig a hole for himself but he also had an ability to dig himself out of a hole, which often involved a huge amount of energy, dedication and intelligence.

This is not a day for analysis, however, it is one for recalling those people who are affected by his passing and the many who have memories of Charlie Haughey. In Dublin North there is a maxim, "The tribe with the fat chieftain never goes hungry", which applies to Charles J. Haughey and explains why he had such huge support and loyalty. For many people, that was enough and it ensured that people regarded him, as many have said, as a lovable rogue. The charm he brought to politics was employed to great effect. I experienced some of that charm during the fraught general and European elections of 1989. Having polled far better than my adversaries foretold, Mr. Haughey wasted no time at the count in the RDS in deciding that he would have to congratulate me. I recall the sea of people around the Fianna Fáil side of the count centre. There was a ripple and the crowd parted, something like the Red Sea, and from it appeared this man whom one could imagine like Moses. He came across, shook my hand and said, "Well done young man, I'm a bit of a Green myself".

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