John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Member of the House who nominated Deputy Bobby Aylward to contest the by-election and who contributed hugely to his campaign and his efforts, I congratulate him. I have no doubt that in the coming months - whatever time is left in this Government - he will have heard enough during the course of the campaign about the promises that were not fulfilled and about the issues facing rural areas, and he will have the opportunity to raise those issues here. No one is better placed to do that than Deputy Bobby Aylward, knowing the constituency and rural Ireland as he does.

I am delighted he is joined here by his family. I have no doubt that his late parents, Bob and Kitty Aylward, are looking down on his family today with great pride in Deputy Bobby Aylward's achievement in that by-election.

I served with Mr. Liam Aylward. We fought hard fights in the constituency. However, it is my strong belief, if all Members told the truth, that they fight the same fight with their colleagues every day of the week. It is the constituency and the people we represent that actually benefit from that competition. That is how I see it. I also served with Bobby, another honourable member of the Aylward family, and he contributed a lot in the course of his time here.

I pay tribute to all the candidates who fought the by-election, a number of whom went out knowing that they would not end up in this House, I am sure, but they wanted to do their best in terms of the agendas they served and to highlight the issues they believed needed to be highlighted. Each and every one of them is to be complimented.

Regarding the political parties and those who fought the conventions, came out and were supported, I say to Deputy Deering that the same thing happens in Fine Gael as happens in Fianna Fáil and other parties. I doubt if I will see him walking the streets holding hands with Mr. John Bryan. I doubt if Deputy John Paul Phelan will hold hands with him either. I am sure the Taoiseach is not too impressed with how they dealt with Mr. John Bryan at the convention.

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