Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

On behalf of the Fine Gael group in Seanad Éireann, I offer our sympathies to the Fianna Fáil Party and to all colleagues in the House who served with the former Taoiseach, Charles Haughey. Senator Daly was a Cabinet Minister, along with Senator O'Rourke and others. Senator Mansergh also served with him in another capacity over many years. They will feel his loss greatly today. I also pass on our sympathies to the Haughey family in particular. I am not aware of any family in Irish public life who have had to suffer the ongoing glare of publicity over 40 years in the way the Haughey family has. They have had to bear the brunt of that publicity, both positive and negative, over those years and they have done it with great dignity. I sincerely sympathise with them today on the loss of a father, husband and grandfather.

The Leader is right to state that it is too early to judge the political legacy and career of Charles Haughey. He dominated Irish politics for 40 years. It is rare for someone to be elected in the 1950s and work all the way until 1992, serving as Minister for Finance, Health and Social Welfare, leader of his party and Taoiseach. We should not forget that he was elected by the other House as Taoiseach on four separate occasions, which is a seminal honour. Not since the time of de Valera has any Irish politician been elected on four separate occasions by the Dáil to the office of Taoiseach. We need to remind ourselves of that office. I was very happy when the Government offered a State funeral to the Haughey family who graciously accepted it. Whatever one's view of the legacy of Charlie Haughey, the fact is that he was Taoiseach of this country. As Taoiseach, we need to honour the office and those who held it for such a long period of time. It is right, fitting and proper that a State funeral would be offered and accepted.

It is also right that the funeral mass of Mr. Haughey will take place in his beloved Donnycarney, a part of Dublin I know well, as my godmother lives opposite the church to which he will be brought next Thursday. There is great affection among the people of Donnycarney for the Haugheys, particularly Charlie Haughey, who was one of them, grew up among them and was a local boy who did very well. That he is going home to Donnycarney on Thursday and Friday of this week and that the State funeral will take place there is welcome.

The Haughey years were defining ones in terms of our attitude to Northern Ireland, the ability of this State to manage its affairs economically in a sensible and sane way, the way in which standards in politics have changed and in which politics is viewed among the Irish population. There is no doubt Charlie Haughey was one of the most talented politicians, if not the most talented one, since the foundation of the State. I say that because he was utterly pragmatic. He came from a community which helped him to understand what ordinary people thought. He understood what people wanted. He had great foresight in trying to see how ordinary people lived their lives and he responded to that. He was a talented politician but, as the Leader said, there was another side to him and that is probably for another day.

Whatever we say in this House today of the life and times of Charlie Haughey, I am convinced of one thing, namely that the Irish people have made up their minds about Charlie Haughey, be that positive or negative. Nothing we say here today or nothing that is written about him in the weeks and months ahead will change the collective view the Irish people have of this political leader and figure who dominated politics in this country for more than 40 years.