Derek McDowell (Labour)

My first experience of Paddy was not dissimilar to that of Senator Ross. Shortly after I was elected in 1992, I remember coming to the front gate of Leinster House before the beginning of the Dáil term. I had been to Leinster House before then for Christmas parties of the Labour Party and other such functions but had never entered the place of my own right. I confess that was a wee bit nervous because I did not know how to get in. Paddy happened to be lingering in my vicinity, wished me good morning, invited me in and led me into the building. I was mightily impressed and I presumed Paddy had been studying photographs of new Deputies. I discovered subsequently that he lived in Marino and that I should probably have known him at least as well as he knew me.

Paddy Behan also helped me through a great catharsis in my life which took place very shortly after I was elected. As a young, idealistic Labour Party activist from the north side of Dublin, I was nervous about expenses forms and had a notion in my head that they were all grubby and sordid. I would have preferred if expenses cheques arrived without my having had to sign a document. Somebody explained that the way to deal with the matter was to speak to Paddy, who would sort it out. It was only after some months that I went to Paddy because I was nervous about the whole process, but he went through the dates on the calendar and told me what to mark up.