John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

I thank the Cathaoirleach and am grateful for his indulgence. I did not know the late John M. Mannion but from colleagues I have heard many stories and yarns about this activities and politics down the years. I want to extend sympathy to his family.

However, I knew Pat Codd very well for the past number of years. He was very involved in politics even up to his sudden death and was interested and participated in all aspects of political life throughout the country.

I met him for the last time a couple of months ago in the Oireachtas Library. He was here on a visit with Deputy Kehoe from Wexford. We were very shocked by Pat's sudden death. He had a long and varied career in politics. As people have said, he was a former member of Wexford County Council. He was chairman of the county council in his last year there, 1984-85. Pat Codd had the unique distinction of being a member of the county council for Fine Gael with his son-in-law, Martin Dunbar, from the Labour Party. They represented two different electoral areas. Nonetheless, that is quite unusual in politics.

All politicians can run up against their own organisation from time to time and Pat Codd had his difficulties with Fine Gael. He stood for a selection convention in February 1982 and was beaten by one or two votes by a 20 year old town councillor from Enniscorthy called Ivan Yates, who also went on to have a distinguished career in politics. He was upset at the time but afterwards became very actively involved in Fine Gael despite his disappointment. As Senator Brian Hayes has said, he was the organiser of the Self-Help Ireland charity in the south east region. He collected vast amounts of money and dedicated much of his latter years to that worthy cause, putting in a tremendous effort in that regard. He was a treasurer of the Wexford GAA County Board in years gone by and was very dedicated to that organisation.

I was pleased to have been able to attend his requiem mass on Holy Thursday night in Marshalstown church, just outside Enniscorthy. I had the privilege of going to college with his grandson, as well as knowing Pat for a number of years and I wish to be associated with the expressions of sympathy to his family.