Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Tá áthas orm a bheith anseo inniu. As Chonamara me féin agus tá a fhios agam faoin obair agus an grá a bhí ag Eamon de Buitléar do Chonamara, mar a dúirt an Seanadóir deireannach. Tá a fhios agam freisin faoin obair atá déanta aige chun Chonamara a chur in aithne do dhaoine agus an biodiversity atá san áit sin agus ar fud na tíre a chur in iúl dúinn.

I welcome Mrs. de Buitléar and the family to the House. I sympathise with all of them on the death of Eamon de Buitléar. He was a figurehead in every household as there is not a person in the country who does not remember “Amuigh Faoin Spéir”. It gave every one of us a love of and information on what was under our feet and up in the spéir that we would not have seen or appreciated without him.

Yesterday representatives of the National Biodiversity Data Centre appeared before the Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht. I said to myself that Eamon de Buitléar was the national biodiversity data centre before it was founded. What he has done for biodiversity, flora and fauna is incalculable. I worked in the National University of Ireland, Galway and he could not have found a better place for his memorabilia. Time is short and other speakers wish to contribute, but I wish to refer to his contribution to Irish music, Ceoltóirí Chualann, Ó Riada and all of the services he rendered in that regard. Much of his work will live on through the tapes and recordings. There will probably be an exhibition of his memorabilia in NUIG. It is unnecessary to call for such as he is held in high esteem throughout the country, let alone in the location of his personal archive. Being a Member of this House was secondary to what Eamon had done in terms of letting the ordinary people of the country appreciate what was around them and educating them through his films, talks, writing and music. I convey my deepest sympathy to the family.