Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I rise to express sympathy, on my behalf and on that of the Fine Gael organisation in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and my predecessor Olivia Mitchell, to the Bruton family on the sad passing of John. I express that sympathy to Finola, the children, our dear colleague and friend Richard and Mary, who is someone I knew before I knew the other Brutons. She was my wife's employer for a long time in Blackrock and they taught together.

I will pick up on the theme on which the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, and so many other speakers focused - it was first mentioned by the Taoiseach - namely, John's enthusiasm and his dedication to youth politics and young people in general. Twenty-odd years ago, I mistook this for polite tolerance when sitting in the Bruton household having dropped Matt back home after a Young Fine Gael conference. Three of us proceeded to lecture the former Taoiseach about the situation in Ireland in Europe with the assuredness that only second-year arts students could have about matters of the world. However, it was a lot more than tolerance.

As the years passed, I was lucky enough to encounter John more and more. The phone calls and the emails - although not the text messages, as the Minister, Deputy McEntee, mentioned - became more frequent and were followed by offers to speak at public meetings and to come canvassing for me in Stillorgan during the last general election campaign. I realised that he thought back over his own entry to the Dáil so many years ago and was trying to give back to those who had the desire and commitment to enter public life. He shared of himself in a that way many of us probably might assume was a prerequisite of having held office. However, it was absolutely a testament to him as a man and as an individual. It is a lesson to all of us in public life that giving back involves going so much further than just being in this Chamber. That should be continued.

It has been an absolute privilege to listen to the many remarks here this afternoon from people who were privileged to serve with John in this House and around the Cabinet table or simply to know him. Today is a sad day, particularly for the Bruton family and the Fine Gael family, but it is also an amazing day to reflect back on an amazing man.

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