John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to be associated with the tributes paid this morning to the late P. J. Morley. I welcome and convey my sympathy to his family, Mary, Patrick, Enda, Brian and Cathy, and his colleagues, Sean Calleary and John Carty. I did not serve with P. J. on any of the bodies on which he served but was very aware, as someone from Mayo, of the work he did, which has been well articulated this morning, on the health board and on Knock Airport. I am not sure what the Taoiseach at the time, Charles Haughey, sanctioned, but I assure everyone that Knock Airport has progressed well from being a grass runway.

I got to know P. J. Morley in recent years after I came into the House, having met him at various functions and funerals. His few kind words to those of us who were new to the game demonstrated his great empathy with any public representative from the constituency. The best tribute I can pay to him is to note that he was a gentle man. I would like to be associated with all of the tributes that have been paid this morning and thank the Chair for the opportunity to express myself.

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