Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am very honoured to have been asked by the Fianna Fáil group in Seanad Éireann to express our deepest sympathy on the loss of a former Member of this House, Professor Trevor West, and to extol his many virtues to which the Leader has already referred.

I will refer to a number of media comments made in the immediate aftermath of his death, notably by his friend and colleague, Ulick O'Connor. Reference was made to the fact that just some three days before his death, he sat on the steps of Midleton college reminiscing for almost an hour with the principal, Simon Thompson. Through his family and his father he had strong connections with Midleton college. It was said he was in reflective mode and that there was much to remember for a man whose passions covered sport, education, literature, history and politics.

In the context of the remarks of the Leader on Trevor West's early membership of the Seanad and his close association with Mary Robinson, he had been her election agent when she first ran for the Seanad. When he was elected for the Trinity College seat in the by-election caused by the death of Owen Sheehy Skeffington in 1970, he soon established a reputation as one of the few liberal voices in the Seanad. It is rather salutary to remember that when we talk about history and about the 1916-21 period, this is at only one remove from that time with the mention of Owen Sheehy Skeffington.

Former Senator, John Horgan, recalled that when he and Mary Robinson wanted to put forward a Bill on the issue of changing the law banning contraceptives in 1970, they could not get the required third signature from among the entire membership of the Seanad at the time, until Trevor West was elected and supported them. There has been quite a change in culture and attitudes since then. Just consider that if such a vote was to come before the House today, perhaps in the context of the Civil Partnership Bill, how the culture and attitudes have changed in the intervening time.

Another aspect of Trevor West's enormously colourful life full of so many different tapestries was his somewhat less well known contribution to the peace process in Northern Ireland, resulting from the strong connections between his family and many of the loyalist leaders in Belfast. It was reported in the media after his death, that following a close association he had with the then UVF leader, Gusty Spence, who announced the loyalist ceasefire in 1994, Senator West was quietly influential in nudging forward the peace process. Almost 30 years before the Belfast agreement was signed, in a letter to the New York Review of Books, the then Senator West had cautioned that in order to isolate the extremists from moderate nationalist support: "It is essential to set up a form of government in Northern Ireland in which both sections of the community have confidence." He then added, presciently, that American pressure on Britain was a crucial factor in the struggle for independence and that after the Easter Rising of 1916 it could well be crucial again. This is quite extraordinary in light of all that has happened since.

Away from the world of politics, Trevor West was a member of the Trinity College co-ordinating committee for sport, the Dublin University central athletic club for 40 years, serving as chairman for 30 years, and was heavily involved in the campaign to build the new sports hall at Trinity. When it came to lobbying, he could teach us a thing or two, because in that particular campaign, when an attempt was made to turn the Trinity College rugby pitch into a building area, his response was to send many thousands of letters on Seanad headed paper to former Trinity graduates, which shortly put an end to the disgraceful plan. In light of the changes made by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform yesterday, he would find envelopes in short supply if he was to try that today. However, I have no doubt that his commitment and passion for the cause would not have prevented him from doing the same.

For 11 years, Trevor West was honorary secretary of the Irish universities rugby union. He was also a former president of the Trinity College cricket and soccer clubs and was a stalwart of the rugby club, where he encouraged many international players and household names, including, Dick Spring, Donal Spring, Hugo MacNeill and Philip Orr. He was quite an extraordinary man. Interestingly, Ulick O'Connor said about him that he had a magnetism that was not apparent under his almost boyish appearance and witty conservation. He went on to say that with just a slight move of the head, he would say what he was after and would then usually get his way and that when he failed to get into the Seanad, after eight years, in 1976, one could only feel ashamed of the Trinity electorate. However, following that he recovered favour and was re-elected.

Following the by-election mentioned earlier, he was elected and was re-elected as an Independent in 1973 and 1977. He lost his seat in 1981, but regained it in the first election of 1982. Like many in that period of the troika of elections, he lost it again in 1983. What a tremendous loss he was to this House, particularly at a period when his voice and influence would have made such a difference. I agree to some extent with Ulick O'Connor, that one could feel somewhat ashamed of the Trinity electorate. However, I am sure they have made up for it since with some of the wonderful people elected by that constituency.

On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group in Seanad Éireann, I extend my deepest sympathy to his much loved wife, Maura Lee, and his brothers John and Brian, his sisters in law, Cecily and Lynda, his stepson Ian and his wife Susanna, nephews and nieces, Michael, Christine, Kerry, Katherine, Eoin and Aoife, his wide circle of friends in Trinity, Midleton college and the world of sport. He is a much loved and much missed figure. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.