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

Cuirim fáilte roimh chlann Aylward, roimh Helena, Bob, Triona, Mark, Lisa, Dylan, Leah, Taylor, Margaret, Jack, Kate, and Ella. It is easy knowing they are a political dynasty the younger members of the clan being so totally at home in the House. It is an omen of things to come, perhaps.

I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Bobby Aylward in July. I really liked Bobby. He was a good and decent man who cared deeply about people. As was said, he had a deep love for Kilkenny and especially for his own local community of Mullinavat.

Bobby was also a passionate GAA man. He lived and breathed for his beloved Ballyhale Shamrocks. I understand he was proud to be cathaoirleach of that famous club, a position he held until the time of his death.

As the Taoiseach has said, he gave so much to those he represented, first as a member of Kilkenny County Council and later, on the national level, as a Teachta Dála. Bobby came from staunch Fianna Fáil stock. His brother Liam held the Dáil seat in the constituency for 30 years, later becoming an MEP, and their father, Bob, served as a Senator in the mid-1970s. Bobby was highly respected within the ranks of Fianna Fáil as he carried a family tradition of public service. As has been said, Bobby was an energetic campaigner during elections and I understand he brought that energy to the internal Fianna Fáil dynamic as much as he did to the rest of us. When he lost his Dáil seat in the 2011 general election, he demonstrated great resilience and staying power and was re-elected in the by-election of 2015. Bobby was a quintessential man of the people. As a public representative, he never saw a problem as too big or too small to warrant his attention. If he could help somebody, he always tried his level best; I can bear personal testament to that.

I got to know Bobby when we served together on the Committee of Public Accounts. I found him to be friendly, upfront, decent and above all, genuine. He always had a smile and said hello and he was always up for a chat and for the craic. I recall, a number of years ago, I was in Hugginstown to address a commemoration for the Manchester Martyrs. That is the commemoration when you carry a lit sod of turf so it was freezing cold. Following the event, I popped into the local pub, English's, to warm my bones and lo and behold, who would rise to greet me only the bold Bobby Aylward. He proceeded to introduce me in detail to everybody in the pub with great enthusiasm and humour. It was a moment of warmth that was so typical of him and one that I greatly appreciated and will always remember.

Bobby's loss is greatly felt by all who knew him, and especially by those who loved him so dearly. Ar mo shon agus ar son Shinn Féin, I extend the deepest of condolences to Bobby's beloved wife, Helena; their three children, Bob, Mark and Triona; his grandchildren; his brothers and sisters; Bobby's wide circle of family and friends; and his colleagues in the Fianna Fáil Party. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

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