Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

It is with the greatest sadness that I speak today on the death of Tony Gregory. Before I say anything about the political Tony Gregory, Independent Deputy for Dublin Central, it is important to express my sympathy to those closest to Tony. I offer my sympathy to his brother Noel, his partner Annette, his close friends Liz, Francis, Fergus, Mick, Seánie, Maureen, Sadie, Paddy, Máire, Marie, Paddy and his secretary, Valerie. I also offer my sincerest sympathy to all of his extended family, friends, supporters and constituents. Tony will be deeply missed by us all. In a way I find it hard to believe that Tony is dead.

I first met Tony 26 years ago before I entered politics. I was working in St. Mary's boys' school in Dorset Street and Tony was a city councillor. He was campaigning on educational disadvantage, the drugs issue and major unemployment issues. He was also campaigning for the needs of the community and the needs of parents and children in our area. Our local objectives were the same and I joined his team dropping leaflets and canvassing. It was then I learned about community politics and also about the broader vision that Tony had for the country as a whole. In many ways he was an old-fashioned Connolly-ite with a great vision for the future based on equality and justice. He was also dedicated and a hard worker. I remember many nights after the canvass at 10.00 p.m. when we would all be dying to go for a pint, Tony would be heading off at 10.30 p.m. to do the night shift poster run. That is how hard he worked to get that seat against the odds. He was also an inspiration to all Independent candidates, councillors, Senators and Deputies

In 1999 when I was elected first to the Dublin City Council, Tony was the leader of the Independent group in City Hall along with Councillor Vincent Jackson. In 2002 he was the Whip of the Independent group of Deputies in the Dáil and he was the brains behind and a major broker in the formation of the Technical Group. He was very proud of this and of the unity of the Left in the Dáil. This was the spirit of Connolly coming through again and giving people hope once more. This was Tony's great achievement. He showed discipline, leadership and courage. I was very proud to be part of that group.

Most people know Tony Gregory for the Gregory deal and the drugs issue — and rightly so because they all made a difference and had an impact on people on the ground in the real sense of community politics. However, there was more to Tony than that. He believed in and supported Irish unity and independence, again from a Connolly perspective. He also despised sectarianism and racism and was always on the side of the men and women of no property. Noel, his brother, has asked me to say that his grandparents on both sides came from the Protestant tradition, a fact of which Tony was proud, and he was always very proud of the tradition of Tone and Connolly in this country. He despised oppression, injustice and inequality. Tony was also an internationalist, always on the side of the Palestinians and the Cubans, and he was completely anti-apartheid, particularly when it was not fashionable to be so.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I wish to read into the record of the House a letter I received from the Cuban Ambassador to Ireland, Mr. Carillo, addressed to the Irish Parliament, which was written by Deputy Ramón Pez Ferro, president of the Cuban Commission for International Relations:

Havana, 5 of January of 2009

Year of the 50 Anniversary of the Revolution

Your Excellency Mr. Pedro Noel Carrillo Alfonso

Ambassador of Cuba

Ireland

Dear Mr. Ambassador:

I would like to request to you on behalf of the National Assembly of the Peoples Power of the Republic of Cuba, to extend to the authorities of the Irish Parliament and especially to the relatives and colleagues of our dear friend, Deputy Tony Gregory our most sincere feelings [of] sadness and solidarity for his death.

We will always remember Mr. Gregory as a great friend of Cuba, from whom we always received his support and understanding.

We reiterate ours deepest condolences.

Deputy Ramón Pez Ferro

President

Commission for International Relations.

He always linked his community politics in the inner city with support for the oppressed world-wide. He brought this philosophy into Independent politics and was always uncompromising on these core principles. He was a street fighter on behalf of the poor and was also a very brave man when it came to tackling the drug barons. This was not easy. I remember situations when he faced down drug dealers and bullies in the interest of his community. It took courage and it took bottle. Tony would also take the pressure and intimidation on behalf of his own people and on behalf of his own community activists. This should never be forgotten as it was not easy, particularly in the current climate.

Many people may not be aware that Tony was also a huge supporter of people with disabilities and patients with cystic fibrosis and he was always encouraging me to push that agenda. He was always in the background advising and supporting me, and ensuring that I was not distracted from the main reason to be in politics, which is to deliver for people.

We also had some great times and many laughs along the way. We had great craic during the charity "You're a Star" programme, especially as he thought I would be knocked out on the first night. It was Tony and Valerie Smith who got the first call from RTE about that show and passed it on to me. I always remember his wry smile when he said: "That's the kind of wild show, McGrath, that you would probably like." However, I convinced him after three nights and I made him my manager and in the end he was cheesed off with me for not winning the final. However, we had two great weeks and we had great laughs. This was a side to Tony Gregory that many people would not be familiar with.

We also had some great laughs in the canteen, particularly with the Friday and Monday club consisting of a group of Deputies and journalists. We used to give Tony a hard time about getting duck from the staff even when it was not on the menu. The Minister, Deputy John Gormley, will remember this well. As I said earlier, Tony was the brains behind the formation of the Technical Group and was very protective and defensive of it. However, we used to see that look or dry smile on his face anytime Sam Smyth joked about people in the group, especially with remarks like: "They'd be a great crowd to fix your car." Tony enjoyed that kind of wit but if anyone crossed the line, they were finished and they got that look again.

There were many other laughs and good times both in the Dáil and in City Hall. It is hard to believe he is gone. He certainly made and left his mark. Tony Gregory will be remembered as a great politician, a great public servant, a dedicated and hard worker and a politician who loved his country. Tony would like the tradition of Catholic, Protestant, Jew, Muslim and Dissenter, to live on and today in the Dáil we should all honour Tony by doing our best to develop and promote that vision for our country.

He had a firm and passionate belief that investment in education, in order to ensure equality of access to education, at pre-primary, primary, second level, further education and third level was required to break the cycle of poverty. He continued his commitment to rectifying social injustice by campaigning for issues such as adequate housing. We remember his untiring commitment to tackling the drugs problem. He showed tremendous courage in his naming in the Dáil of the major drug barons. Tony had a remarkable vision about how to respond effectively to the drugs scourge. He demonstrated that way forward at an early stage of the heroin crisis in Dublin, but unfortunately those in power did not introduce the measures Tony had suggested, including an inter-agency response, until it was too late. He would have made a fantastic Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, had he been given the opportunity.

Throughout his political career, he defended the rights of the weakest in society, which included street traders and old age pensioners. In recent months he made a very effective contribution to the debate on the retention of medical cards for the elderly.

He had a huge love of animals, which stemmed back to all the summers, which, as the Taoiseach noted, he spent at the foot of Croghan Hill in County Offaly on his granny's farm. He was, therefore, opposed to cruelty to animals and he took a firm stance in the Dáil on anti-blood sports issues. He had a love of the Irish language and culture. At times he used to give out to me for not speaking the language more often. He taught history through Irish in Coláiste Eoin in Stillorgan.

Tony was well-liked by politicians on all sides of the House. He did not personalise any issue. He focused on the issues and not the person. He never offended other politicians. While he will be very sadly missed by his brother Noel, partner Annette Dolan, close friends, relatives and supporters, his spirit and legacy will live on. He will not be forgotten and his tradition of community politics lives on.

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