Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

P.J. Morley was a lovely man. He was a most genuine personality and I regarded him as a great friend in politics although he came from a different political persuasion. I served with P.J. as a councillor and Deputy over many years. He was a man driven by loyalty to his party, his native county of Mayo and, above all, to his family. I am glad that Mary and members of her family - Patrick, Enda, Brian and Cathy - are here.

P.J. served as a councillor and Deputy for over 40 years. When I mention his name, I can hear his infectious laugh and his understanding of the humour in Irish life at all times. He was always foremost in the pursuit of what was good for his county and constituents. He began his working life in my alma mater of St. Patrick's College in Drumcondra and went on to serve a wider community with great loyalty and distinction as a member of Mayo County Council, the Western Health Board and the County Mayo Vocational Educational Committee. He was a member of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, Muintir Na Tíre, the National Farmers' Association, the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts and the Council of Europe.

Deputy Martin is right. He will always be remembered for his loyalty and consistent and persistent discussions about the development of the miracle at Knock. Monsignor Horan was a great friend of P.J. I agree that P.J. Morley was foremost in bringing the first eitleán to land at Barr na Cáóige when people could not understand what had happened up there.

I know that in his retirement, he reflected on his politics and life in general. The Ceann Comhairle will remember P.J. Morley as a Member of this House. I saw him flower when he became chairman of the Western Health Board. P.J. Morley had a really sharp mind on complex issues, be they capital budgets or health issues, and was able to segment the arguments like a good judge and lay out in sequence the plan and strategy to be followed. He was not above Machiavellian tactics inside his own party. In those days when there was no money in the Western Health Board, a most vociferous former Deputy who passed away, Seán Doherty, who was a member of the same board had a great rivalry in County Roscommon with his colleague, former Deputy Terry Leyden, who was exalted to the high office of Minister of State at the Department of Health. When things got very rough at the Western Health Board, as they often did, and there was no money for anything, P.J. Morley always had the answer. He would say "we'll summon the Minister of State to the next meeting." I am quite sure that had been arranged in advance.

I would like to say to Mary and all the family that I regarded P.J. as a great friend, a gentleman and someone who was exceptionally loyal to his family, party and people. I agree fully with Deputy Martin. He is a loss to our society and I hope he wrote down many of the stories he came across over his 40 years because the thread in there was one of understanding of human nature, the characteristics of the people of the west and the evidence of great humour in Irish life irrespective of the difficulties we might have faced. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

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