Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

In order to help me late at night, given that I had lost the election and was heading back to west Cork with my tail between my legs, with a small Paddy he toasted the strength of de Valera and his inside and outside system.

Leaving all that aside, the Irish Human Rights Commission is privileged to have somebody of the calibre of Dr. Manning as its president. He has great integrity. He is a person for whom I have had great admiration dating back to before we served in the Seanad together. He displayed his impartiality when serving as a Senator and afterwards. He has the ability to rise above local and national political considerations and is doing an excellent job. The best toast I can make to him today is that the commission is honoured and privileged to have somebody of his calibre at the helm.