Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)

I was very sad to hear of the loss of Joe in August. It was the loss of a great parliamentarian, a proud Dubliner, a great family man and a truly wonderful human being, and my sincere sympathies go to Peggy, to David, to Michael and to Róisín, and to all of the extended family. I was particularly sorry that I could not attend Joe's funeral because I was out of the country at the time of his death, and that was a matter of deep regret to me.

I recall Joe clearly from my first Fine Gael meetings well over ten years ago. What stood out for me was the power and sincerity of Joe's conviction. He never sat on the fence and he always stood by his beliefs and his principles. He was an inspiration to me and to all young and aspiring parliamentarians and politicians. In a world of what is sometimes cynical consensus and political correctness, Joe was not afraid to stand out.

His terms as a councillor, as a Senator, as a Deputy and, particularly, as Lord Mayor of Dublin epitomised the spirit of selfless and principled public service which defined Joe Doyle, and my party leader, Deputy Kenny, referred to that eloquently. He was a proud Christian Democrat in the true sense of that label. He took principled positions on issues such as abortion and contraception against a flurry of both political and media opposition at the time. Joe, as always, stood his ground and followed his conscience and many politicians in this House, and, indeed, in other walks of life today, could learn from that.

Joe's involvement and his years of service in our mutual parish church in Donnybrook were also a testament to the ethos of public service that he espoused. Everyone in Donnybrook speaks highly and fondly of Joe and the sterling work that he did for the parish. Today Donnybrook is a thriving parish with high Mass attendance, and I believe that this is a testament in no small part to the significant service of Joe Doyle in the parish over an extended period, and particularly during his period as sacristan.

On a personal level, Joe Doyle was a wonderful mentor and an imparter of wisdom to me. When I first embarked on my political journey, which eventually saw me succeeding Joe on Dublin City Council in 2004, his encouragement, help and assistance were invaluable to me. Joe was always available to advise and guide in his characteristically giving and generous fashion. Joe Doyle was not simply a Christian Democrat but, more importantly, a true Christian.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

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