Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am obviously saddened but happy to have the opportunity to pay tribute to my friend and colleague, a person I served with in the parliamentary Labour Party for a decade. As is often the case in the parliamentary Labour Party, there was an eclectic crew representing all facets and strands of public affairs and public life in this country, from the urban intellectual to the knowledgeable rural representative grounded in the earth. Seán Treacy added immeasurably to our discussions. He started off as a trade union official humbly organising and looking after the rights of working people. That remained the hallmark of his entire political life. Although he rose to become Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann, a position to which he was elected in four different Dáileanna, which was a remarkable signal of the respect in which he was held across the political divide in this Chamber. He never lost contact with what grounded him in his native Tipperary. He was an extraordinarily passionate defender of the interests of the county of Tipperary or, as he put it himself, South Riding in particular, and of course his beloved Clonmel.

Of all the great attributes Seán had, the most notable was his ability to understand the needs of his community and represent it well. Of all the accolades that he achieved in his life, none meant more to him than to be made a freeman of the town of Clonmel, an honour I know was very important to him. He was a mayor of Clonmel, a chairman of Tipperary County Council and a distinguished Member of this House for the best part of four decades. He served in various capacities. He was a member of the European Parliament representing the constituency of Munster and he implemented at that forum the needs of the region of Munster but also those of his own community. He has certainly written his name into the annals of this House and his native place. On behalf of all his colleagues in the parliamentary Labour Party and the wider Labour movement - the organised side in addition to the political side - we send our condolences and deepest sympathies to Seán's extended family. He will long be remembered.

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