Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I am pleased to have an opportunity to say a few words in tribute to my former friend and colleague, Mr. Joe Doyle. I had the privilege of serving in both Houses with Joe and my relationship with him was a little deeper than the normal political relationship, in that we both shared political careers and an office for quite a number of years. During the first Seanad in which I served, from 1987 to 1989, Joe, a few colleagues and I had offices outside the main complex of Leinster House at the fashionable Dublin address of 89 Merrion Street, which certainly impressed my rural neighbours and friends. In that suite of offices, which we shared with the then Deputy Brendan McGahon, the then Leas-Chathaoirleach of the Seanad, Charles McDonald, who had a working fireplace in his office, as well as new Senators such as the then Senators Gerry Reynolds and Phil Hogan, we spent many enjoyable hours and days.

Joe took his politics very seriously. He did so with a smile but he was a man of deep conviction and profound ability. The first piece of political advice and education that I saw and heard from Joe was with regard to the twice-weekly clinic he operated from 89 Merrion Street. For my first few weeks there, I could not understand the reason a succession of citizens of Dublin were calling to our office but they were calling to meet Joe. While Joe represented a constituency that he shared with people of greater national renown and publicity, I always got the impression that he was the man in the constituency who did the work. This was proven in 1989, when he was re-elected to Dáil Éireann on the strength of his constituency work, as well as his love of his people, his city and his constituency. He knew every square inch of that constituency, from Donnybrook to Ringsend and to Pearse Street, and felt equally at home in each part of it. This summed him up, as he genuinely was a man for all political seasons.

He was a man with a great depth of interests. Mention has been made of his sporting involvement in horses and greyhounds but he also enjoyed a sport that was a minority interest in this House, namely, cricket. I recall that when the then Taoiseach, John Bruton, hosted a visit to Dublin by the then British Prime Minister, John Major, in 1995 or 1996, he brought Mr. Major to Doheny and Nesbitt's for a post-meeting drink. There was Joe, who had been lined up to discuss cricket with the Prime Minister, because he probably was the only member of the Fine Gael Party who could have a rational discussion on cricket.

He also had a wide range of friends in Leinster House. While everyone knows of his friends in Fine Gael, he had a very deep friendship with Members' former colleague in the other House, the late Tony Gregory. Moreover, Joe's admiration for Tony was reciprocated fully. He also had a great friend in Fine Gael's new Front Bench colleague, Deputy Andrew Doyle, and they travelled to many health board meetings together. He built up all those relationships because of the depth of his character and because of the strength of his political soul. He was a genuinely unique person and I always will recall vividly the Monday in June 1998 when he rang me at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. to let me know that as a result of a bizarre political fluke and breakdown in other parties' negotiations, he was about to become Lord Mayor of Dublin. I could literally feel the excitement down the telephone line because the honour of being first citizen of the city he loved so deeply was about to be bestowed on him. Moreover, he carried out his duties in a magnificent fashion.

I have all these pleasant memories of Joe and Members have given an account in the Chamber of his political philosophy, his deep Christianity and his belief in the philosophy of live and let live. He was an outstanding ambassador for Fine Gael in both the city and the country and its members deeply and fondly remember him. While I apologise for drifting on a little, I will provide a final anecdote. Mention was made of the 1989 election when Joe and Garret FitzGerald won, perhaps against the odds, two out of four seats. Joe told the story with great relish of an evening two or three days before the general election when, while he was out canvassing and knocking on doors in a very committed fashion, a black former State car suddenly screeched to a halt beside him. It was Garret FitzGerald, who exited breathlessly from the car to tell Joe that he had conducted an opinion poll and that Joe had been elected on the fourth count. Although the election was still two days away, it looked as though the election could be called off and they all went off to have a nice drink.

I am proud to have had this opportunity to pay tribute to him and am proud that we shared offices together. He will be long remembered in this party. May he rest in peace.