Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

She is someone who constantly brings a smile to people's faces in the Members' Restaurant. When one considers both of their service, she and her mother have given 62 years to this House. As far as I am concerned, she is far too young to be retiring from here, and we would like to have her around for much longer. I thank her on behalf of all the Deputies and Senators who got to know her so well. She got to know our awkwardness, our eating habits and so on. Sometimes a menu was not necessary, because she would already know what one was going to order. She is a lovely person and I wish her well. I hope she will get much more time with her family and I am glad for her that she will not have to put up with us any longer. Her work here has been valued. She will be missed. There is enormous warmth towards Marie, which was evident in the build up to her leaving with so many people having taken the time to drop in and thank her for her decades of service here.

I wish her good luck and thank her for her many years of support and charm. It really was appreciated.

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