Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I dtús báire ba mhaith liom ar mo shon féin agus ar son ár bpáirtí ár mbuíochas a ghabháil le Patricia as ucht an mhéid oibre a chuir sí isteach i rith na mblianta as son na Dála agus an Oireachtais i gcoitinne. Ba mhaith linn comhghairdeas a dhéanamh léi as ucht an mhéid atá bainte amach aici agus as an tslí a oibríonn sí lá i ndiaidh lae.

I thank Patricia sincerely for her outstanding work on behalf of our Parliament and of Members of the Dáil. The Ceann Comhairle said that she has an encyclopaedic knowledge of procedures, of that I have no doubt, but she probably has an equally encyclopaedic knowledge of all the attempts and tricks of the trade which Members of Parliament may attempt from time to time to circumnavigate procedures. To discharge her duties, she had to display incredible patience, tolerance and indulgence of the most appalling attempts by Members of the House to get around procedures. Sometimes when we would see her looking back at the Ceann Comhairle to give a bit of an instruction, one would have a sinking feeling that one's attempt was going to be dashed without a doubt, and that would turn out to be the case. To manage to keep some degree of order and a framework over this House is an enormous challenge. It is because of Patricia and her colleagues that that has been achieved with such regularity so often. She went beyond the call of duty to ensure that the House ran as smoothly as possible. On behalf of the party and myself, I thank her sincerely. I understand that life outside Dáil Éireann is extraordinary indeed and she really will develop new experiences as she escapes from Leinster House, as the Ceann Comhairle put it. I wish her the best of luck.

See this speech in context