Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)

My contribution is about Tomás Mac Giolla, Teachta Dála. As the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, stated, Tomás Mac Giolla was a hard constituency worker. Like Deputy Varadkar, I grew up in the constituency of Dublin West and he was my local Deputy. Teachta Dála means "Deputy to the Dáil". Being a Deputy means one is empowered to act on behalf of someone. Deputies are empowered by their election to the Dáil to act on behalf of their constituents. Tomás Mac Giolla did this in the best possible way. He represented all of his constituents and gave a voice to those people in Dublin West who needed to be heard, including the most marginalised and people from the most disadvantaged of communities. He articulated the thoughts, values, hopes and dreams of the people who live in communities like Ballyfermot, Clondalkin, Blanchardstown and Mulhuddart.

As a public representative and Teachta Dála, Tomás Mac Giolla sowed the idea of equality and what this might mean for the people who lived in those communities and similar communities throughout the country. Some of the issues he promoted when elected to the Dáil include why should not children of disadvantaged communities go on to third level education and why, instead of accepting that there will always be unemployment, the aim of politics should not be to ensure that there is full employment. He stated during a debate in this House on regional technical colleges that education should not be about teaching skills alone, but about enabling each and everyone of us to have fuller lives.

My father stood as a Labour candidate in a number of elections also contested by Tomás Mac Giolla. Unfortunately, the Labour Party did not hold a seat during that period despite its having changed candidates at each election. My father stood in three elections. Tomás Mac Giolla persisted and got his breakthrough in a by-election in 1982 and was subsequently elected in the 1982 general election. My father tells the story of the 1989 general election, which was the last general election in which my father stood in Dublin West. While he was canvassing in Ballyfermot he approached some women at a school and asked them if they would consider voting for Labour. They said: "We do vote Labour; we vote for Tomás MacGiolla." I say that because people perceived us as being so close, and we were very close in our values and the issues on which we campaigned.

Tomás MacGiolla worked with other parties and he worked very closely with the local Labour Party as did his colleagues in the Workers' Party in Dublin West. One of the issues on which he felt very strongly, and on which we campaigned alongside the Workers' Party in the constituency, was the need for proper planning. At the time there were many controversial planning decisions, which Tomás MacGiolla opposed alongside the Labour Party. He was also very strongly committed to the work of the vocational education committees, which he described as a system of education that was democratic, non-denominational, non-selective and innovative, which welcomed people that other educational institutions cast aside. He particularly highlighted the role of VECs in leading the way in adult education given that it was the first to provide education for prisoners.

The Irish Oscar winner, Richard Baneham, went to Ballyfermot College of Further Education. Tomás MacGiolla was very supportive of that college and the other VEC community colleges in Dublin West. He spoke in the Dáil about the innovative work of Ballyfermot College of Further Education when he raised the issue of the need to save the jobs of the Sullivan Bluth Studios animation company in Chapelizod when it was being closed and how it had worked so closely with Ballyfermot College of Further Education.

Tomás would take a brave stand. He was a very strong constituency worker, but was not afraid to stand up for the less popular route. For example, he spoke at meetings in the local community in support of Traveller accommodation. He also supported the establishment of Lucan community college when there was a very bitter campaign to try to prevent that school being opened.

Tomás MacGiolla set an example as a Deputy for which we should aim. He stood up to the most powerful and wealthy vested interests, and those in the Dáil who would act only on behalf of the wealthy few in our society. He represented all his constituents. In particular, he spoke and acted for the most vulnerable and marginalised. He sowed the idea of an Ireland and local communities in which everyone could reach his or her full potential.

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