Martin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I advocate support for Deputy Seán Crowe who has all the abilities to be a very good Leas-Cheann Comhairle. He is a human rights advocate, both nationally and internationally. I first met him in the late 1970s at the beginning of the drugs epidemic in this city and the emergence of drug barons. He stood with communities, addicts and parents to defend them against the scourge which was taking over the city at the time. He was also a very high profile activist in the H-Block-Armagh Prison protests in 1980-81, standing with the prisoners in their quest for justice. Internationally, he has been very supportive of human rights for the Palestinian people, both in the West Bank and Gaza, and has visited both places to promote human rights and propose a settlement. He has also been very helpful in the Basque territory where people were discriminated against in their quest for national recognition and rights. He served on the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, of which I was also part, and travelled into loyalist and Unionist areas of the Six Counties where he negotiated with communities to promote the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement for the benefit of all. I support him wholeheartedly as he would make a wonderful Leas-Cheann Comhairle. As a human rights activist, he has the ability to fill the post.

See this speech in context