Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish Senator Mullen well and welcome him and his new-found enthusiasm for septic tanks on board. I hope he will continue to follow in the footsteps of the Fianna Fáil Party in protecting those who are financially impoverished. I welcome much of what he said on this issue.

I am sure Senator Diarmuid Wilson and I speak for all sides in complimenting President Higgins and his wife, Sabina, on their extraordinary performance in the first couple of days of their visit to Britain which will continue until tomorrow. Their visit has given a morale boost to Irish people in Britain and at home. I also compliment Senator Paul Coghlan, who represented the Seanad yesterday. I presume he was in the Long Gallery listening to the President's speech. I had the pleasure of listening to the former Taoiseach, Mr. Ahern, when he spoke there. Incidentally, he did not give me a ticket, which I obtained through my contacts in the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly. The then Taoiseach was not one bit concerned whether I was present.