Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A number of brave delegates who were elevated in the party at the time decided to visit him in his office and ask him if he would be interested in changing his ways or considering his position.

He inquired as to where they were coming from and on what basis they were asking. They replied that it was as members of the front bench. He told them they did not represent the front bench anymore because he had sacked them the previous day. That was John Bruton. When we recalled it to him later, he laughed and enjoyed it as though it were the first time he was hearing it. He saw that something needed to be done. He was chastising someone, having a laugh about it at the same time and he moved on. He never held a bitter word for people, even those with whom he disagreed.

There was only a river between us, a couple of miles. He said "let it be always thus" about the river, that it would not be drained or something like that. Anyway, we enjoyed one another and enjoyed the adjoining constituencies. It was full of thrills and spills, the expected and the unexpected. He was great to be with. He made a huge contribution to this country. He made a huge contribution to the Continent of Europe and continued to do so right until his passing. He was a man of conviction, honour and integrity who he set about doing things by peaceful means that others had failed to do by other means.

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