David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Sinn Féin Party, I want to extend my sympathies to the family of Martin O'Toole. I imagine it is always a bittersweet occasion for family and friends in the Visitors Gallery - I said the same last week when we paid tribute to a former Senator who also died - because the sadness is still there with the loss of Martin, but it is also wonderful to come to Leinster House and to hear people who served with him and knew him well pay tribute to his work and his commitment to politics, to his party and to the people of Mayo as well.

On behalf of Sinn Féin, I offer my sympathy to the people in the Visitors Gallery, his family, and those who hold Martin in high regard but were not able to be here. He had a distinguished career, as Members of his party and the Government parties have said. He was a great advocate for rural Ireland, rural development and the farming community. This is a nice occasion for the family to listen to the tributes paid to Martin, which are a credit to him and his long achievement in political life. I am sure the family is very proud. I wish the family the best of luck for the rest of the day and I extend my sympathy on behalf of my party to his family and friends in Mayo and further afield. They will miss him but they have fond memories of him. I welcome them to the Seanad and I extend my sympathies to them.