Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I am humbled and privileged to lead the tributes to the late Myles Staunton, a former Deputy and Senator, who sadly passed away last year. I express my sincere sympathy to his family, his wife Marianne and children, Ruth, Elizabeth, Hugh, Myles and Aoife who are in the Visitors' Gallery.

From the outset of his career, Myles recognised that his native county could only prosper if it developed links with and understanding of the problems of other parts of the world and he recognised the possibilities of globalisation almost before the word was invented. In the course of his long and distinguished career as a public servant and businessman, Myles championed the economic development of his native County Mayo, and promoted the economy of the west. For many years he was passionately committed to the advancement of Knock airport as a vital transport link for the west. Above all, Myles was a man of voracity and intellect. He was an entrepreneurial visionary who unceasingly promoted Mayo as a great place in which to live, work and do business. He was an advocate of alternative energy and the harnessing of our natural resources long before the green agenda came to the fore. His acute business acumen and innovation was demonstrated by his involvement in the peat and seaweed industries. He firmly believed in the use of our natural resources to create employment. He was always seeking benefits for his community. He was a central part in the team that brought the US-based company, Allergan, to Mayo 34 years ago and thousands of people have been positively affected by his actions since then.

The late Myles Staunton was renowned in Fine Gael as an extremely capable and committed public servant. He represented Mayo with distinction as a Deputy during the Liam Cosgrave Government of 1973-77 and served in the Seanad until 1982 and again from 1989-92. His passionate commitment to public service ensured that he made a valuable contribution in the Chamber. He was a founding member of the trilateral commission which brings together elected politicians, academics, business people and civil servants from Asia, Europe and North America and continued to be involved in his work in this area until last year.

I had the pleasure of meeting Myles on numerous occasions and recall his warm and generous nature. I recall having a meal with my wife in Dunmore East in the early 1980s at a time of a Seanad election. During the meal a second bottle of wine arrived on the table which I was told had been provided by a gentleman at the bar. When I investigated who had done this I learned that it was the late Myles Staunton. He joined us and had a meal and we became the best of friends. I do not know how he found Dunmore East and knew I was there but it did no harm in the election afterwards.

The Cathaoirleach, Senator Paddy Burke, was among the many public representatives and friends who paid tribute to Myles when he described him as a true parliamentarian, public representative and a servant of both the State and County Mayo. A former Taoiseach, John Bruton, made a moving tribute when he said that Myles was a convinced and convincing advocate of viable, commercial and privately run economic development in the west. This was because he was willing to put his money where he mouth was, whether in the development of the local seaweed or turf industries.

Myles was deeply committed to his family and family life. I express my sincere sympathy to his family who are in the Visitors' Gallery. I was delighted to attend his funeral in Westport, the town he loved so well, and to reminisce with many of his former colleagues who deeply appreciated the work he did for the party and the country for many years. Ar a dheis Dé go raibh a ainm dílis.