Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Independent Group, I wish to offer our sincere sympathy to the family, friends and colleagues of the late Austin Currie and, in particular, to our colleague, Senator Emer Currie. I did not know Austin Currie personally, only by reputation, and he had a reputation of which any person would be proud. He was a man who had the strongest courage of his convictions and who took risks, both personal and political. He was a man of protest, a peacemaker, an activist and a politician. Many fine words have been written and said in the past day or two by those who knew him and served with him. If I were to choose only a few words from all that has been said, it would be the two words used by Mark Durkan, when he described Austin Currie as a man of "stubborn honour". May he rest in peace.

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