Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Labour group, I join colleagues in expressing my sympathies to the family of the late former Senator and Deputy, Martin Joe O'Toole, and offering our condolences not only to his extended family and friends, but also to his colleagues in Fianna Fáil. He served in public service with great distinction over a long period. Indeed, as Senator Cummins stated, he must have been one of the longest standing public representatives in Ireland, given the fact that his political career began in the mid-1950s and continued well into the 1990s.

That is a lengthy and extensive career by any standard. He served as a councillor, a local representative in Louisburgh in Mayo, as a Senator for 12 years between 1977 and 1989 and also as a Deputy, as a Member of Dáil Éireann. He was a champion of his community in Louisburgh in Mayo and also a champion generally for rural Ireland. Others have spoken of his work in seeking to develop the western rail corridor.

On a personal level, although I did not know him, it is lovely to pay tribute to a Mayo man. My maternal great grandmother was from a large family in Westport, many of whom are still in Westport - the Reillys of Westport. Although it is not Louisburgh, it is nice to pay tribute to somebody who championed and represented Mayo for so long at so many different levels in the Oireachtas and also at local level.

On behalf of the Labour Party, I express my sympathies to his family members and friends and particularly to those who are here today to join us in the Chamber for the paying of tributes to him.