Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

I join colleagues in expressing my deepest sympathy to Bríd and the family on their sad loss. Although I knew Séamus in his later years and was honoured to get an occasional letter from him expressing his opinions on foot of a political development either in my own life or in general, which always was much appreciated, he was more a contemporary of my late father, Joseph Mooney, who also served in this House. During my growing years, Séamus already was a political legend. As Senator Ellis noted, he came from western County Cavan, which those of us from Leitrim perceive as being a neighbouring parish to our county, and this meant we had as much pride in his local and national political achievements as we would have in one of our own. He has left behind a distinguished record as a county councillor, a Deputy, a Member of the Seanad and ultimately as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann. Everyone has pointed both to his longevity and to his lifelong loyalty to the party he represented and his pride in so doing. He was a great inspirational figure to ongoing generations and as Senator Carty remarked, it is wonderful to see his children and grandchildren present today.