Feargal Quinn (Independent)

When Tony Kett entered the House in 1997, I got to know him early on. We had something in common, namely, that we were both north siders and felt a little outside the south side background. We ended up with a community feeling.

Tony's main achievement was that he was a doer. He wanted to get things done. He was not the sort of person who looked for publicity or wished to see his name in the newspaper everyday. He was much more determined to get things done. He and I discussed his work at the Central Remedial Clinic and his efforts to ensure that those who were disabled were not hindered. I talked with him about the Ability Awards that started in 2002 or so. He said he loved the concept of ability, not disability. About the disabled people he had met who were working in whatever area, he said they were abled in some other way. He said that, whatever way nature or God has made us and whenever we are lacking in something, we seem to benefit in something else. He seemed to be able to identify what we could do to help people who were suffering in another way.

Once, Tony came to me to discuss our supermarket in Northside, which had a spot outside it for disabled parking. It had been reported to him that the spot was being abused. I told him a story of how, when I was once in the supermarket, I met a woman in a wheelchair and asked her how things were going. She said that she got on well in the shop, but she came to me at the checkout and asked me whether I had heard the announcement. When I told her that I had and that someone was wrongly parked outside, she said that the car was hers. The announcement had been ongoing for 20 minutes. The reason I tell this story is because, when I told it to Tony, he enjoyed it. I asked the woman whether I could help her, but she said that she would be out in about 15 or 20 minutes. I asked her what was wrong. She said, "I was just going to pull into the disabled place and I saw an able-bodied man drive in and hop into the shop so I just parked behind him". She said he was probably going to the airport or something but he will not do it again. I admired her sense of humour. When I told Tony that story he said, "That is much better than fines or anything else". There was no way the driver who had created the problem could do anything when the lady in the wheelchair came out to move her car. Tony had a quiet sense of humour and a sense of fun which was apparent once one got chatting to him.

I was jolted to discover he was ill. I did not realise he was ill until almost the point of his death. I remember his funeral very well and the words used. I remember the former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, speaking at the time. I remember in particular the honour paid to Tony by the guard of honour made up of those Senators who were fortunate to be at the funeral. I am not sure if this is a regular occurrence as I have not seen it done before but it was a unique recognition of the work of Tony Kett.

I say to his family and to his friends who are here that we miss him greatly in the House. He was taken away from us at such an early age. None of us anticipates death but none of us anticipates death at that early age. We will certainly miss him. I know his family will miss him greatly but so will so many other friends and so many others who benefited from the great work he did over the years.