Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

This sad occasion represents the second time this week that the House has mourned the death of a former colleague. On this occasion I refer to the distinguished former Seanadóir, Séamus de Brún. I did not know Séamus de Brún, but my colleagues have told me that he was a formidable Senator and that he treated the affairs of the House with the utmost seriousness. As the Leader said, he was an educationalist, in the truest sense of the word, for many years. It is with great sadness, therefore, that I wish to be associated with the remarks of the Leader. I would like, on behalf of the Fine Gael Party in the Seanad, to express my sympathy to the Fianna Fáil Party and to Mr. de Brún's three children.

It is a tremendous achievement for someone who has not contested a Dáil election to be elected to the Seanad. In a sense, the 43 Senators who are elected by county councillors come from political parties. It was a great achievement for Séamus de Brún to be elected in his own right as an educationalist and as someone of standing within a party. His commitment was recognised in 1977 by the Fianna Fáil Party, and specifically the former Taoiseach, Mr. Lynch, when Mr. de Brún was appointed as one of his nominees. As the Leader said, he was elected to the House in the early 1980s on the Cultural and Educational Panel, a panel from which I had the great honour of being elected at the most recent Seanad election.

Séamus de Brún's lifetime commitment to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann was also mentioned by the Leader. When I worked on a report on music education in Irish schools, as a member of the Joint Committee on Education and Science in the previous Oireachtas, I was struck by the marvellous voluntary contribution of Comhaltas throughout the country. It is clear that Mr. de Brún was in the vanguard of that movement. He made a huge contribution to the preservation of the heritage, music and language of the Irish people. It is right that we honour him today. As the Leader said, I understand he was for many years a trustee of Raidió na Gaeltachta which provides a marvellous service for Irish speaking people.