Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

We agree with the Order of Business as proposed by the Leader. I avail of the opportunity afforded to me under the Order of Business to refer briefly to the tragic loss yesterday of our colleague and friend, Jim Mitchell, a distinguished former Member of the other House, a former Cabinet Minister, a former Lord Mayor of Dublin, and an institution in Irish politics for over two and a half decades. The sense of loss is felt by many Members of this and the other House on all sides, but it is particularly felt by the people of Dublin who lost a champion, one of their own, who was able to cut through a lot of politics and get to the heart of issues and was able to articulate their concerns. The family of the late Jim Mitchell, Patsy and the five children, and particularly his brother, Gay, who is known to us all, have lost a husband, a father, a brother. On behalf of my colleagues in the Seanad I take this opportunity to convey our sympathies to the Mitchell family on this loss, which is not only a loss to them but a loss to politics and to the country. It is terrible that at the age of 56 he was taken from us.

I am pleased that you, a Chathaoirligh, the Leader and Members have afforded me the opportunity to state that in the Seanad. We will miss him greatly as we go forward.