Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ar mo shon féin agus ar son Sinn Féin, ba mhaith liom mo chomhbhrón a dhéanamh le mic agus le hiníon an iar-Thaoisigh, Liam Cosgrave, a fuair bás inné.

On my behalf and that of Sinn Féin, I want to extend sympathy and condolences to the family and loved ones of former Taoiseach, Liam Cosgrave, following his death yesterday. For many people he was during turbulent and controversial periods of our history a controversial and divisive figure. Today is not the day to analyse this, in ionad ba mhaith liom a rá go ndéana Dia trócaire air.

I did not know Mr. Cosgrave personally. I saw him at many of the 1916 centenary events and other events over the years, as well as in Croke Park on many occasions. As others have said, he had a long career in the Dáil and the great privilege of serving as Teachta Dála for nearly 40 years representing the people of Dún Laoghaire and Dublin County. During that period he served as Chief Whip, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce, Minister for External Affairs and Taoiseach from 1973 until 1977. He led Fine Gael for 12 years.

Bhí gairm fhada aige in oifig poiblí agus tá mé cinnte go bhfuil a mhuintir agus a pháirtí brodúil as sin. Tá an ceart acu.

As others have noted, he had a long career in public office. I am sure his family, party, Mr. Cosgrave himself and his late wife, Vera, were rightly proud of this record. I want to extend my sympathies to his children, Mary, Liam Jnr. and Ciarán and to all his friends and family, as well as to An Taoiseach, the leader of Fine Gael, and the Fine Gael family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

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