Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim míle buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle. Ba mhaith liom mo chomhbhrón a ghabháil freisin do mo chomhghleacaithe inniu mar gheall ar bhás John Bruton. Is cailliúint ollmhór í dá chlann, do Pháirtí Fine Gael, agus do Chontae na Mí freisin. I give my deepest sympathies on behalf of my party and myself to the family of John Bruton on his passing. These days will be very tough days for John's wife Finola, his son Matthew and daughters Juliana, Emily and Mary-Elizabeth, for his brother and our colleague Richard, and for his sister Mary. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time. I know that John's death will be a big blow to many members of Fine Gael who are here opposite today and I extend my sincere sympathies to you also.

John Bruton was a giant of the Irish political system throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He did this while also being a thoroughly decent man. Anybody who knows anything about politics knows these are two things that are very hard to do and to sustain. John was a conviction politician who stood up for what he believed in and what he knew was right. He was a human rights advocate who stood up for the right to life for everybody. He was a deep thinker. He had a strong moral compass. He remained dedicated to his objectives even when he knew it would be going against the prevailing political winds of the time. Everybody always knew where they stood with John Bruton. His leadership of the rainbow Government also showed that he could be pragmatic and collaborative when that was needed. He brought an amazing cohesiveness to a coalition Government made up of political parties from diametrically opposing roots at that time.

He was a man who gave great service to his county, to his country and to one of his main political objectives which was the EU. There is no doubt that his service in these institutions has made a significant impact on the lives we all live today in Ireland. There was a selflessness to John's service. He competed politically not on personality but on ideas, values and service. He did great service for County Meath. He had a great pride in County Meath. No matter where he was, or what institution he was working in, he never forgot the pot that he was boiled in. In truth, the people of Meath also took great pride in his service. His work lifted the lives of thousands of people in our county and he will never be forgotten on the highways and byways of our county.

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