Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I use the opportunity to speak about our late friend and colleague, Nicky McFadden. Nicky was a friend and valued colleague not only of mine but also of many Members of the House across the political divide. I know that many in my party, including the Taoiseach, were devastated by her death in March. To all of us in Fine Gael who knew her, she was a wonderful woman, devoted to her children and her wider family and dedicated to working on behalf of the people of Longford-Westmeath whom she represented as a councillor, Senator and Deputy. She was a committed member of the Fine Gael Party. She brought a joy to life that lit up all around her, even in the last difficult months of her illness. She was not a person to allow political differences to prevent her from making new friends. She saw the person first and his or her politics second, which is not always an easy thing for some of us to do. She was popular among the people of Longford and Westmeath who knew her. They held her in very high regard as a public representative. She left her politics aside and fought vigorously for the interests of people in her constituency.

The Government has decided to move the writs to allow the people of Dublin West and Longford-Westmeath to be fully represented again in the Dáil. With local and European elections planned for 23 May, it would be unacceptable to delay the by-elections and deny the people of these constituencies the opportunity to vote and give them full Dáil representation. Governments in the recent past may have feared the people for whom they worked and attempted to avoid by-elections, but we do not. It is far better to hold by-elections as soon as possible. The campaign by my party and no doubt every other party in both constituencies will be headed by excellent candidates. I wish candidates the best of luck and look forward to successful campaigns and meeting the winners in both constituencies in the House soon after 23 May.

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