Martin Brady (Fianna Fail)

I knew Kieran Phelan before he became a Senator. I met him when he ran for the Seanad election in 1997. He was beaten by one vote on that occasion but he kept battling on. I would like to be associated with all the good things that have been said about Kieran.

With regard to Kieran's constituency work, he used to arrive to Leinster House every Tuesday and present a few cases to my secretary, Carol, usually pertaining to getting people with medical problems into hospital. Funnily enough, for some reason or another we were successful with every case he presented to us. I used to ask Kieran whether he would e-mail the outcomes to his constituents but he used to say he would bring them home with him and drop them into their houses. He said it was more effective when one looked them straight in the eye and they looked back.

I told Kieran he would have no problem getting elected given all the work he was doing in his constituency. He said it did not work that way. In this regard, let me quote a remark by Kieran that I have quoted ever since and which I quoted to Senator Quinn today:

Martin, it is funny you should mention that because I was at mass last Sunday and heard a reading about a man greater than any of us who did a much bigger favour than you or I could ever do. He cured ten lepers but only one of them came back to thank him. One out of ten isn't very much.

I always remember that.

Kieran was a very gregarious man and, as every Senator said, he was very good humoured. He had a couple of special friends, as we all do, but he was friendly with everyone. One could not dislike him. He would always make one feel included. If he was in company, he would say: "Murt [as he used to call me], sit down with us." That is the way he was.

One morning Kieran dropped up a box of chocolates to my secretary, Carol. She said Kieran was a lovely man. I said we knew that. She said he never gave anyone a reason to dislike him because he was so friendly. My secretary was doing bits and pieces for him and he gave her a little gift in recognition.

Kieran was a giver and never looked for recognition. He was not into making big speeches. I used to ask him on certain days whether he was speaking on any matter but he used to say that he was not, that he did things quietly. He did so and was very effective in what he did. He could always give one a bit of advice. In this business, we can learn from one another and one could certainly learn from Kieran.

I sympathise with Kieran's family, including Mary, Brenda, Martina, Fiona, Aisling and Patrick, and with his grandson. I acknowledge the presence of Kieran's grandson because he will be able to read these remarks in the historical record. We should remember Kieran as the person he was. I suppose he is looking down on us now, probably surprised that we are saying such good things about him because he did not think we were that fond of him.