Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Louisburgh is a unique place, a Chathaoirligh, as you know, being from the same county. It is named after Louisburgh in Nova Scotia. Not many towns in this part of the world are named after towns in the New World. From there, Martin J. O'Toole served for 44 years on Mayo County Council, 12 years in the Seanad and three years in the Dáil. It is a fantastic record of public service and, like the other Senators, I welcome all his friends and relatives who have come from Louisburgh today. He was described as a good Senate performer and a supporter of Knock Airport. I am sure he would be very pleased that with the abolition of the travel tax, Mr. O'Leary expects hundreds of thousands extra people to go through the airport this year. That was the arrangement he made in exchange for the removal of the travel tax in the budget. That will happen and it will be a big boost for Knock Airport and for County Mayo.

He was Uachtarán Fhianna Fáil for several years, which is one of the hard jobs to acquire in Irish politics. When he passed away, Deputy Micheál Martin described him as a man who combined colour, conviviality, wisdom and wit during his time in Leinster House. The Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, also made a very nice tribute to him. He said he was a great friend of his late father for many years and that he certainly did the State some service.

I thought it was touching to read in the newspapers that at his memorial service, he had presented, as gifts, a copy of the Constitution, a Dáil report, a Mayo County Council annual report and a Louisburgh GAA jersey. That shows us the kind of life he sought to live. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a ainm dílis.