John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

On behalf of the Progressive Democrats, I join other Senators in extending sympathy to Mrs. Maura Doherty and her daughters, as well as Seán Doherty's brothers and sisters, on the recent death of Seán Doherty at a very untimely age.

Seán Doherty was certainly a very colourful character — there is no question about that. Controversy seemed to follow him about. I agree with Senator Norris that Seán Doherty was very courteous and polite during the battle and when it was over. I was a Member of this House when Seán Doherty was Cathaoirleach. He conducted the affairs of the House in an even-handed and fair manner. He was always mindful of the need to defend the rights of Senators. I refer, for example, to the famous incident when remarks made by Senator Norris were considered by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. As a new and callow Senator, it was a substantial political education for me to attend the meetings of the committee, which had to take a fairly firm stance. The Progressive Democrats Senators abstained in the original vote, when Seán Doherty became Cathaoirleach. We voted with the Opposition during the subsequent vote of no confidence in Seán Doherty as Cathaoirleach.

It was a measure of Seán Doherty that he immediately tendered his resignation from the position of Cathaoirleach on 21 January 1992, after he landed the missile that ultimately led to the fall of the then Taoiseach. He was the epitome of the man to whom Kipling referred when he wrote:

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same...

Seán Doherty could certainly do that. He had an equitable approach to such matters.

Many people were surprised when Seán Doherty died to learn that he was just 60 years of age, because he seemed to have been around forever. He served as a member of the Garda Síochána before he started his very successful 25-year career in politics by returning to County Roscommon to take a local authority seat following the death of his father. I reiterate the Leader's comment that Seán Doherty was always extremely mindful of the needs of his constituents. One encounters a great deal of pomposity in the national newspapers about people who do that. I would like to know how people get elected if they do not look after the needs of their constituents, which was something Seán Doherty did to a supreme extent.

Seán Doherty put Cootehall on the map. Many people might not have heard of Cootehall but for Seán Doherty. He was a Minister for Justice, Cathaoirleach of the Seanad and held many important offices. After unsuccessfully contesting the European and Dáil elections in 1989, he became a Member of the Seanad. He successfully defended his Dáil seat before he retired. As others have mentioned, he was also involved in the DIRT inquiry.

I was very taken by something Fr. BrianConlon said at the reception of the remains which, more than anything else, sums up what Seán Doherty was like. Fr. Conlon said that whether a person slapped him on the back or stabbed him in it, Seán understood the rules of the people's game and, in his magnanimous way, was sportsmanlike. This summed him up pretty accurately. I was very taken by it when I heard it on the nine o'clock television news. In recognition of all his achievements, I join with other Members in extending our sympathy to the Fianna Fáil Party and Seán's family.