Liam Fitzgerald (Fianna Fail)

They have served politics both nationally and internationally, and it would be regrettable if the name were absent after the next general election. I commend the Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, on her great commitment to caring, to the disadvantaged and to those worst off in society. Her political career has been of substance, being embroidered with political input at national and European level and on committees regarding education, care, arts, sport and culture.

The National Youth Council of Ireland supports voluntary organisations. I had hoped the Minister of State might have been present last week, when I quoted its president, Mr. James O'Leary. I am sure Senators will know him. He said some very nice things about the Minister of State, some of which are already on the record of the House. I would like to repeat them in her presence. He stated:

. . . NYCI and the member organisations it represents owe a debt of gratitude to Minister de Valera, who has proven herself to be a powerful advocate for the youth work sector.

Earlier in the same press release he commented as follows:

[She] has delivered for young people in the form of a 14% (€6.2 million) increase for the youth work sector in 2007.

The Minister of State has attended functions throughout the country involving her varied remits, including youth work, further and adult education and school transport. Where she has addressed public gatherings, I have never had to ask her for information, since it has been immediately forthcoming, being given readily and very professionally. That is a tremendous tribute to a Minister of State. It is perhaps horrible to say that politicians trade in information, but we rely very heavily on being briefed, staying up to speed and keeping abreast of the latest developments in education, finance, justice and so on. Without fail, on every occasion the Minister of State has set up or developed one of the many initiatives in her remit, politicians and Members of the Oireachtas have immediately known of its significance and her vision in that regard. It was always done in an extremely professional and efficient manner, on which I commend the Minister of State very highly.

During the Minister of State's last appearance before the House, I used an old seanfhocal to sum up her style. It occurred to me that it would be as fitting today as it was then. Regarding her style and what she brings to bear in politics and education, a subject as close to my heart as that of every other politician, I think "Is fearr beagán cúnaimh ná mórán trua". The word "beagán" is very much an understatement regarding the Minister of State's performance and record. Since taking up her brief on adult and further education, she has increased the relevant budget by €56 million, or 50%.

She has made significant progress in furthering adult opportunities to access second-chance education and re-embark on a journey of lifelong learning. An adult and further education sector has been firmly established, continuing to meet adults' varying needs as they seek to enhance their lives through education. Notwithstanding the difficulties referred to by Senator Ulick Burke, progress on her watch has been spectacular and very impressive.

My words are borne out by people who greatly admire the Minister of State's work in adult education, the adult education organisers themselves. She may know of my regular contacts with several, and in the past five or six days they have asked me to bring to her attention how strongly they have supported her vision and how enthusiastically they have embraced her many ideas and initiatives in adult education. They commented effusively on her exciting, new and sometimes revolutionary initiatives to target the most disadvantaged, marginalised and sometimes forgotten, those who have slipped through the net and dropped out of school. She has developed and followed up all those in the past four and a half years.

I have authority from those individuals, to whom I often speak, to convey to the Minister of State their heartfelt appreciation of her great work and the encouragement she has given them, which has helped imbue them with great professional pride. I can assure her that she is held in very high esteem by them, and they fully acknowledge the Minister of State's high regard for adult education. The relationship is not just one way. When they talk, they express the view that it derives from her own very rich and varied professional experience of education. They very much regret her leaving the scene and thank her for her many exciting initiatives and the ways in which she has helped motivate and encourage them to deepen their vision regarding professional challenges.

On this special occasion, I would like to comment briefly on Síle de Valera the person. The first occasion I met the Minister of State was in Donaghmede Shopping Centre in 1979. She had been in politics since 1977. She may not remember that I had been assigned to look after the other side — there is no other side in Fianna Fáil, since we are all on the same side — represented by Professor Michael Yeats.