Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank colleagues for the beautiful tributes that have been made. John was so proud of this House - everything about it - and it is so nice to see him remembered in such a warm way. I thank you on behalf of Finola, Matthew, Juliana, Emily, Mary-Elizabeth and, of course, my sister Mary and, I should say, the next generation: Ophelia, Hugo, Oliver and Robin, who were the apple of his eye, as they say, and buoyed him up, particularly during his long illness.

I think it was Kieran who spoke about how Ireland has changed since John entered politics. Going back to 1969, we had 1 million people employed; now we have 2.6 million. One in 20, probably, got to third level; now two in every three or more get to third level. We have transformed from being a narrow society, very inward-looking, almost reactionary, to one that is so much more open, fulfilled in so many ways and inclusive of so many people of different views. It has never been plain sailing, but I think Irish politics, of which this House is the exemplar, has a lot to be proud of, and we should reflect on that.

John loved politics and he loved politicians. There was nothing he liked better than the company of politicians. He was fortunate to have so many friends, not just in our party but across parties, whose company he enjoyed and with whom he enjoyed working. As people said, he had strong beliefs, but I think he saw politics as the art of resolving conflict, ultimately, and that often requires you to understand the views of others. As Brendan said, they might not always be on the same track, but he did find that way of finding the middle ground.

He was a pioneer of reform of this House, and he would be very proud of how it has evolved and very thankful. I thank on his behalf the people who make this House happen, from the Dáil bar, of course, which is an important part, right through to the Library and all the services of the House. They made his life and they were so welcoming to him over the many years during which he used this House.

He believed that the European Union was the greatest creation in international collaboration that was ever made because countries, having warred against one another, had come together voluntarily to try to achieve more together then they could on their own. He saw it as a great opportunity for Ireland, but he did not see it just in those ways. As someone who grew up in the shadow of the Second World War and as someone with a great sense of history, he saw it as something to be built, and he put his back into trying to build the European Union as well as seeing how important it was for Irish destiny.

He was, as people said, a man of a lot of ideas. Over one weekend he wrote a plan for the nation, so he did not lack ambition. I sometimes had to tidy up those texts.

One of the abiding loves of John's life was learning. He was a voracious reader with a voracious appetite for new ideas, and he never lost that interest in the next thing that was coming up. My earliest experience of his love of education was when he was given the task of teaching Mary and me French when we were quite small. I do not know how successful his French teaching was. At that time, French Without Tearswas the high point of French learning, but both of us still speak the language and have an abiding love of it, so he did a lot, and education was something he was very proud to promote.

Politics matters because it allows us to do big things and little things that make people's lives better. John always travelled under the slogan "every person counts". I think he brought it into his dealings with everyone. He struggled over the past year and more. Those acts of kindness that he provided were repaid a thousand times over in the care and support he got from people here and people in hospitals. People have been so nice and decent to him, particularly Finola and the family, who cared for him so well over a long period. I just want to acknowledge that. It is great to see in the Gallery John's colleague, John Farrelly, with whom he soldiered over so many years.

I thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, the Ceann Comhairle, the Taoiseach, and all Members of the House for providing this time to reflect on John's contribution. It will certainly buoy us up over these times and it is greatly appreciated.

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