Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

As a representative for Dublin South, I want to mark the tremendous work that Nuala Fennell did, for that constituency but also for the country, particularly in what was called the women's movement. No doubt there were women who were more strident or more noteworthy at the time, but when historians look back asking who was the most effective in terms of making changes, many will answer that it was Nuala Fennell who, through her work in the political system, turned into real legislative change the cause that was required, namely representation. She did that selflessly and with great honour. Her family should be duly proud of her work. We should be proud that there were such representatives who were willing to go from campaigning to come into, and spend their time in, the political system, which is often difficult. One often faces votes where one may feel slightly compromised. One faces difficult compromise as we must work within a party political system. Ultimately, however, it is a way of effecting real legislative change and that is what Nuala Fennell did as a representative of the Parliament and as a Minister of State. It is a great honour.

We are now looking back some ten or 20 years. I agree there is further work to be done, but the work she did was groundbreaking and was of significant benefit for all of the people of this country. As a constituency representative of Dublin South, along with its other representatives here, I am glad to mark that.

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