Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

Is mian liom ár gcomhbhrón agus ár mbród a chur in iúl do mhuintir Callanan. Níl aon amhras ach go bhfuil fear mór croíúil uasal misniúil imithe uainn. Tá taithí againn go léir go pearsanta gur sheas sé an fód nuair a bhí géarghá leis agus gur thug sé an deashampla. Ba dhuine é a raibh prionsabal i gcónaí i gceist aige in aon chomhrá nó aon díospóireacht sa Teach seo agus sin ceann de na cúiseanna go raibh mise chomh mórálach as an Chorcaíoch sin.

I am pleased that this opportunity has arisen to give us the time to pay tribute to a very special gentleman. I am pleased that Sheila and all the Callanan family are here to hear those tributes. It is not necessary because they will be well aware of the great respect which Peter had in his native Cork. One need only look at the huge crowds which turned up to his funeral, which by its very nature had to be sad. However, I do not think anyone left without being aware of how lucky we were to have a man of that calibre as a colleague in this House.

A number of speakers referred to his agricultural background. There is no doubt that Peter was of the soil. The land was everything for him in so far as identity was concerned and he took advantage of every opportunity to ensure those who loved and cultivated the land were well represented.

I had the opportunity to deliver an oration at his funeral. I made a point on that day which has been running through my mind ever since. In many ways, Peter Callanan was an antidote to the negative and contrived image which is sometimes used to describe public representatives. We all feel personally hurt and, often, helpless when we see the profession being denigrated. However, Peter Callanan never felt helpless or vulnerable.

Like others, I was summoned to his office on numerous occasions to discuss issues that had arisen in the House or were reported in the newspaper. In debating these issues, he was always anxious to be clear on where he stood and to ascertain my views. The cut and thrust of debate must be maintained wherever one serves in a public capacity because the exercise of democracy requires it by its very nature. At the same time, however, we hope and pray we do not deliberately offend others when we express our views. I ask my colleagues to think about the contributions that Peter Callanan made in this House. In every way, he epitomised these qualities. I never saw him deliberately personalise an issue to the point where he became insulting. He expressed his views with a strength which came from his background.

One word which has not yet been used to describe Peter Callanan is "republican". He was republican to the core. He believed in everything we stand for in terms of building our own Republic, controlling our own destiny and ensuring the defence of our sovereignty. These issues made up 90% of the discussions I had with Peter Callanan. They were not peripheral to Peter; they were the basis for everything he believed this nation and State stand for.

I hope and pray that Sheila and the rest of the Callanan family will understand that Peter was held in the highest esteem by his colleagues in this House, the Dáil and the local authorities for one special reason, namely, what he said, he believed, and what he believed, he said. What more can we ask of any man?

I sat near him for more than ten years and can genuinely say he was an iconic figure in every sense of the word. I would like to think that Sheila and all the family will have happy memories of and good friends in this House. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.