Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

We all should feel inadequate when speaking about this great man. Pope John Paul II was a real spiritual leader who had a most spiritual death. I went to the Phoenix Park to that great event in 1979 where I met Seán McBride. I also saw Oliver J. Flanagan in all his finery. He went on to Knock to meet the Pope there, which was the centre of his visit to Ireland.

John Paul II was born on 18 May 1920 and died on 3 April 2005. He had a wonderful life and made a wonderful contribution to the world. On his election, the then head of the KGB, Yuri Andropov, warned his leader that there could be trouble ahead. How far-seeing he was. The Pope heralded the beginning of the end of communism following his election.

There was a famous film released in 1968 called "The Shoes of the Fisherman", which was based on a novel by Morris West. The author predicted that there would be a Russian Pope. Mr. West wrote an article in 1999 which was to be published after the Pope's death and which was published last week in The New York Times. The article gives an analysis of the papacy from his research for the novel.

I also had the great honour of meeting the Pope in a private audience on 22 March 1989 with my wife and children. It was a wonderful experience. When he entered the room on that day, it was lit up by his spirituality. He was a deeply spiritual man and that was the most impressive aspect of what he stood for. It came from his whole approach to life. He served so well for so long, but in his death he also gave great example to everyone in the world. He served and made a contribution to the very end. He showed the worth of someone from conception to death. He showed that he was pro-life in every sense of the word. By his very approach to his own death, he showed that he was pro-life to the very end.

There was an attempt made to assassinate the Pope in 1981. He met the man who shot him, he offered his hand and he forgave him for what he did. The man is still serving a prison sentence in Turkey, but the Pope still offered him a hand of friendship.

John Paul II's approach to the Jewish religion was extraordinary. There were 2,000 Jews in his home town, along with 8,000 Catholics. He supported the Jews there and he later apologised in Jerusalem for any wrongs done to the Jews by any Catholic. That was a courageous thing to do. He deplored anti-Semitism and was truly great in that regard. He also tried to reunite the eastern churches, such as the Russian Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Church. He tried to support them regarding the one true religion that is shared throughout the world.

The coverage on television of his death and his funeral was extraordinary. We now have satellite television covering the globe and the coverage was unreal. The Pope's contribution to this world was quite extraordinary.

I express my thanks to the Leader for having given us an opportunity to express our sympathy to the church on the death of this great pontiff. This debate is the sole item of business today. It is a special, historic and remarkable day for all of us in this House to be able to share in the expressions of sympathy on the death of a great pontiff.