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

Is mór an onóir domsa é, mar Thaoiseach, a bheith in ann m'ómós agus ómós mo pháirtí a chur in iúl maidir le Austin Currie. Níl aon amhras ann ach gur fear agus polaiteoir den scoth a bhí ann. D’oibrigh sé go dian dícheallach, Domhnach is dálach, ar son muintir na tíre, sa Tuaisceart agus sa Deisceart araon. Caithfimid machnamh a dhéanamh ar an dlúth-ról a bhí ag Austin Currie i ngluaiseacht cearta sibhialta an Tuaiscirt. Bhí léargas faoi leith aige ar an oileán iomlán agus bhí tuiscint faoi leith aige ar gach gné den pholaitíocht.

It is a great honour for me to pay tribute in this House to the life and political contribution of Austin Currie in the presence of his family. Austin was a colleague in this House for more than a decade, and served the State with honour and integrity in the Departments of Education, Justice and Health. As I said in the aftermath of his death, on that basis alone he would be deserving of national recognition and respect but Austin Currie’s contribution to Irish politics and Irish life was much more consequential than his service to this House or to Government. Austin Currie was a major figure among that singular generation of Northern leaders. He was one of a group of extraordinary individuals, from ordinary backgrounds, who were forced by the degradations of the Northern state at that time to confront this appalling injustice. They recognised the power of peaceful protest and they understood that social and economic justice and progress would only be secured through the force of argument. His protest on housing rights in Caledon is widely recognised as the beginning of the civil rights movement. Then, along with those other great names, Hume, Cooper, Fitt, Devlin and O’Hanlon, and others, he founded the SDLP and developed the fundamental political philosophy that ultimately became the basis of peace and power-sharing across the board. We can imagine with complete confidence his impatience and dismay with the ongoing refusal to honour the mandate of the recent assembly elections and bring back the institutions.

Alongside his intellectual capacity, Austin Currie was a man of real and significant physical courage. More than 30 times his family home was attacked by loyalists and so-called republicans and, yet, along with his colleagues, he persisted. As I said at the time of his death, and I repeat today, our country owes him a great debt for this persistence. Many people are alive today and raising families of their own because of this persistence and we have peace in our country because of this persistence.

Austin's contribution to this Dáil and to Government have been well articulated by the Tánaiste but his role as Minister of State with responsibility for children's rights is particularly significant because it was the commencement of an evolution that has placed children and childcare policy that is more reflective of children at the Cabinet table. That took place over a period, with additional powers and responsibilities being given to successive Ministers and Ministers of State with responsibility for children. Austin began that process and was particularly focused on protecting children from all forms of abuse. That is something for which we also him a debt of gratitude.

Outside politics, Austin’s great passion and love was his family, namely, Anita, Estelle, Caitríona, Dualta, Austin Óg and our colleague, Senator Emer Currie. All of his grandchildren have come in today for this important moment. They are welcome to this House. It is important that we pay tribute to Austin Currie in the context of his contribution to this House and to politics in the Republic and on the island as a whole. I know that his family will continue to miss him every day. I hope that as they listen to the heartfelt tributes from colleagues across the House this afternoon, they will get some comfort from the huge and enormous respect in which Austin Currie was held and that they feel pride in the profound contribution he made to our country. Their husband, father and brother was one of those who truly made Ireland a better place. Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

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