Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I was very sorry to learn of the death of Austin Currie, a man who, through his long and distinguished political career, was extremely influential on both sides of our divided island for many years. As a leading member of the early civil rights campaign, a co-founder of the SDLP, a Minister in the short-lived 1974 power-sharing executive in the North and a Fine Gael Minister of State, Austin had a long and commendable record of public service.

My thoughts and condolences are with Anita, our colleague, Senator Emer Currie, and the wider Currie family circle at this sad and very difficult time for them. I would like also to extend our sympathies and solidarity to colleagues in the SDLP and Fine Gael on what is a very sad and significant loss for them. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

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