Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Is lá an-tábhachtach é seo chun óráid a thabhairt ar son ár iar-Thaoisigh agus tá moladh mór tuillte aige. Beidh cuimhne air go deo agus ní bheidh, i ndáiríre, a leithéidí arís ann agus níl aon dabht faoi sin, ach go háirithe. As a TD for the Louth and east Meath constituency, I obviously met John many times over many years. My political career started in the Seanad when I was elected under his leadership and when he appointed me as spokesperson on transport, as well as after that time. I was a proud supporter of John at all times. I had great respect for him, for his honesty, for his being a hard worker, for his humility, for his honour and for his vision. He was a person who inspired confidence in all who knew him. I am thinking back to what other speakers said before me. I can understand exactly what was said about the late John Bruton and farming because I think back to when my sister started going out with the late Paddy Hogan, a farmer from County Meath, who was John Bruton's number one supporter in Skryne. Every field that had a bit of a roadside alongside it had John Bruton's picture displayed. There was no doubt about this, as Deputy English knows.

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