Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

That is good public relations. I entered politics five years ago and the first time I met John Hume was in that restaurant in Greencastle. My father went up to his table and introduced him to me. I was angling to get some advice from the wise old fox but, when he found out my mother was a nurse, he was more interested in speaking to her because the nurses' strike was on at that time. He was more interested in finding out about the difficulties of being a nurse and that resonated very much with my mother, my father and myself because we witnessed John Hume, the politician, who was interested in the people and the real issues on the ground. I pay tribute to him and congratulate him.