Seanad debates

Tuesday, 8 March 2011

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy

 

3:00 am

Photo of Joe O'TooleJoe O'Toole (Independent)

I am privileged to add to what has been said and offer from the Independent benches our condolences and sympathy to the family of the late Willie Farrell and Fianna Fáil. I remember Willie for his argumentative nature and because he was always willing to take up a challenge. He never let his party down and Fianna Fáil could do no wrong, although in private he might say if it had acted in the wrong way. Generally, he was reidh i gcónaí chun an fód a seasamh. Whenever we on these benches got near to ousting him in an argument, he would say it was okay for us on the university seats, but he was brought up in the university of life and knew more about universities than we did.

On a more serious note, I should mention two matters. I tend to say the following to those who knew the deceased personally and are aware only from a distance of what they did in their public life. I spoke earlier about the importance of democracy which will only live if people are prepared to put their names on the ballot paper, take responsibility and speak out. Willie Farrell had the courage to do this and I would like his family to remember him for this. No matter how strong the Constitution or our democracy is, it can only work if people are prepared to put themselves on the line, as Willie was prepared to do. I stand in awe of him. He spent 35 years in public life which I hope his family and grandchildren will grow to value even more as time passes.

Wearing my education hat, I regularly raise disability issues and time and again Willie Farrell was first into the fray to offer support from the other side of the House. He was a classic example of somebody who had turned his disability into an ability. He never let the fact that he had had a serious accident stop him; he never relied on or hid behind it. He was proud of what he had achieved. In that sense, he was a great role model for those dealing with disability issues at various levels.

One would always remember the glint in Willie's eye when he came at someone. There was always a smile and he was always ready to get involved. He was a very diligent Senator at a time when the Whips might have been hard pressed to get Members into the Chamber to speak. He was always reliable in being present for votes and making contributions with which I may have regularly disagreed. However, that is not the issue; the importance of the Seanad comes from having different voices expressing different points of view. We make progress when there is creative tension in having different voices and views. Willie contributed to this.

Ba mhór an onóir domsa aithne a bheith agam air. Ba mhaith liom a rá lena chlann go ndearna sé an-obair don tír seo san am a chaith sé ar an obair sin sa Seanad, san rialtas áitiúil agus in áiteanna eile, go háirithe dá dhaoine féin ina shráidbhaile féin. That is what makes people like Willie Farrell great and we want his family and friends to recognise that we recognise and celebrate such qualities. Ar dheis Dé go raibh sé.

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