Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. Ba mhaith liomsa aontú leis an méid atá ráite ar son an Seanadóir Liam Ó Fearghaíl anseo inniú. I first came to be aware of Willie Farrell back in the early 1980s - I think it was 1981 - when a good friend of his and of mine, Sean McQuaid from Roscommon, approached me to suggest that we nominate Willie for the Seanad on the industrial and commercial panel. Sean was president of the Irish Road Haulage Association and I was vice-president at the time. I agreed, we met Willie, and he went for it. I cannot recall the outcome at this stage; I know there were a number of elections together, and he won some and lost some. Little did I realise at that time that I would subsequently come to serve with him in Seanad Éireann. I found him a great mentor and a wise head, as many people have recognised today.

Those who were here in 1997 will remember that a great friend of mine, Tom Fitzgerald, with whom I served for many years on the General Council of County Councils, was Whip at that time. Tom could be quite a cantankerous Whip at times, and many of us developed a pattern of going to Willie, who was his aide-de-camp and associate Whip, if we were looking for a pair or some other concession, because he was always much more accommodating. I got to know him well during that period and I came to admire him and what he stood for. As a politician, he stood for many of the values and aspects of republican philosophy which most people of our party and of his era would have espoused, and which I hope we will return to in fairly strong fashion in the near future.

We developed a friendship, and I remember Willie coming to me before the election in 2002 to seek advice and ask whether I would take some soundings on his prospects for re-election because I was the chairman of LAMA at the time. By the time I got back to him about it he had already decided not to run, but the fact that he was considering it was indicative of the commitment he had and of his young outlook. It was only subsequently that I found out he had at that stage passed his mid-70s. It was a hallmark of his enthusiasm and commitment that he was still as interested as he was the first day he entered politics. He is an example to many young people who now decide to play their part by entering politics.

I will conclude by sympathising with his son, daughter and extended family. They will miss him. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.