Feargal Quinn (Independent)

The House is all the poorer for the absence of the late Peter Callanan whom I got to know when he came here for the first time because he asked to see me. However, he was disappointed. I had been speaking about a farmers' issue on behalf of consumers and might have degraded farmers a little more than I had intended. Peter took me to the Members' bar - although he was a pioneer - and made sure I knew his views, but he did it in such a manner that we became good friends to the extent that he was disappointed once again when he discovered that I had traveled to Cork with my wife and not met him. I told him my wife suffered from a very severe illness called golf and that we had gone to play golf in Kinsale and stayed in Inchydoney. He said I could not have got there without passing through Inishannon, unless I had got lost along the way. l told him that I had missed him, but he insisted that if I ever travelled down again I not miss him.

Peter was very proud of his locality. He was also very proud to be be a Member of this House. He was very proud of the work he had done for his locality, region and Fianna Fáil. There was no time when he was not willing to argue the case forcefully and strongly, but he always did so with wonderful humour. He was the sort of man one looked forward to bumping into in the corridors of the Houses because he always had a smile on his face. Even though he felt very strongly about an issue, he argued the point with good humour and passion.

When we talked about children, Peter talked about the fact that he had one more child. He was very proud of his four boys and two girls. It is such a pleasure to have so many of them present today. He talked about how they had travelled the world, how much they had seen and how home was always home because Sheila had made it so.

The week before Christmas 12 months ago Peter told me he was due to go into hospital Christmas week for a procedure. I was concerned about him and when I telephoned a few days later, he was back home after having had the procedure. Sheila answered the telephone and was obviously delighted that he had come out of the local hospital with a smile on his face.

Peter was the sort of man one loved to meet. He would be very proud of what is happening here today. An American short story writer, O. Henry, wrote a story about an older lady. The invitation to her funeral had been issued and all of her friends who had not seen her for many years came to her home only for her to meet them at the front door. They thought it was her funeral, but she said she would not miss it for anything because she wanted to hear what they would say about her. It is a lovely story which reminds me of Peter because I am sure he is looking down on us. I am sure also that he is looking at his friends and family and smiling to himself. He is smiling at the thought of the stories that will be told here today.

The wonderful tribute paid to him at his funeral in Innishannon by Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú brought tears to our eyes, but it also brought smiles to our faces because he knew Peter so well. He expressed pride in Peter, as many of us wished to do. Peter Callanan joined this House, was re-elected and re-elected again. He was a committed participant in the work of this House. We were very proud of him. He was very proud of being a Member of this House, but he was even more proud of being a member of the family that he and Sheila developed.

Looking down on us today, I am sure he misses this place, but I am also sure that he is in a better place. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.