Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Cheann Comhairle as ucht an seans a thabhairt dom páirt a ghlacadh sna ráitis chomhbhrón seo. Thar ceann Páirtí an Lucht Oibre i gContae Phort Láirge agus thar mo cheann féin, ba mhaith liom ár gcomhbhrón a chur in iúl do chlann Uí Chionnfhaolaidh.

I did not have the privilege of serving in either Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann with Billy Kenneally. He had left the national scene by the time I was first elected. With regard to Waterford County Council and Waterford City Council, I was elected in 1985, the year Billy retired from local government. However, I knew Billy all my life. When I became involved in politics the description usually given of Billy Kenneally was that he was a gentleman. He was respected on all sides of politics. As I got to know him better, I realised how proud he was to take part in the profession of politics and how committed he was to the democratic system.

He brought a set of personal values to both politics and the democratic system. He was shrewd and humorous. When one met him one always had a laugh and one always left his company feeling better. He was compassionate and close to people, which was one of his great strengths. He understood people's needs. People understood that and called on him for assistance on many occasions. Many people in Waterford fondly remember Billy Kenneally for the assistance he gave them when they sought it in their time of need.

He was twice mayor of Waterford. While I did not have first-hand experience of his chairing the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party, he had the ability to assess people and situations. There was an over-riding sense of fair play where Billy Kenneally was concerned. There has already been reference to the fraught times in Fianna Fáil while he was chairman. He was not a flashy man; that was never his way. He was dedicated and thorough. From everything I have heard, he did a great job at a time when there were enormous difficulties within the Fianna Fáil Party. On a slightly frivolous note, I always felt the Kenneally family had an unfair advantage in Waterford because the family name was flashing all day throughout the city and county on the buses. Deputy Brendan Kenneally still has that advantage, and good luck to him.

What struck one about Billy was that he was a family man. His pride in his children and in Brendan has already been mentioned. He was essentially a decent man who was liked and respected. He had a large impact on Waterford politics and achieved that without making enemies and by respecting those who stood for public office. That part of Billy Kenneally was hugely important in Waterford. It is something we should examine and seek to emulate. We can all get into crossfire and so forth but, ultimately, when we represent a constituency we are all in our own way trying to serve the people who elect us to the best of our ability.

He will be missed. I offer Maureen, our colleague, Brendan, Donal, Kevin, Patrick and Martin, Billy's brother, Jackie, and his sister, Kathleen, our greatest sympathy. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

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