Cyprian Brady (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I consider it a privilege to contribute to these expressions of sympathy on the death of the late Tony Gregory. I extend my own personal condolences to Noel, Annette, Valerie and his many friends and colleagues throughout the constituency of Dublin Central and the country.

I first met Tony Gregory over 20 years ago, and even then he was a well-established leading politician in Dublin Central. I noticed he had a very close, loyal, committed team around him and that the team was not just active at election time. Many of the members of that team have gone on to be community activists recognised in their own right.

I had the privilege of studying the Tony Gregory model of politics over the years and as my constituency colleagues have said, we might have come across each other at various functions or meetings three, four or five times a day. There is continuous canvassing in Dublin Central but Tony Gregory's main strength was that he was the epitome of a local Deputy, looking after his neighbours and the needs of his constituents.

As other Members said, Tony was involved in many issues. I personally admired him for his tackling of the drugs scourge in inner city Dublin. Not many know that Tony was one of the main architects of what are now known as the drugs task forces and the national drugs strategy which covers not just Dublin, but the country. Many of his colleagues were also involved in that process.

He was interested in many areas but what struck me was the passion and commitment he gave to all of them, whether it was community policing, the Moore Street traders or social housing. Tony Gregory's legacy will live for many years and it will be seen in the young children and young people throughout Dublin city who are in better schools and houses. That legacy will also be seen in the many thousands of friends and constituents he worked for over the years. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

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