Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the family to the Visitors Gallery. Another famous Mayo person, John Healy, wrote in 1968 the most famous tome about rural Ireland, No One Shouted Stop: Death of an Irish town. He lamented the decline of rural Ireland. While it laid out the issues of rural Ireland very well, it took people like John Carty to fight the decline of rural Ireland. As my colleague pointed out, there is no point in people lamenting the issues without people like John Carty fighting the issues. He did not fight it by press release or on Twitter or Facebook, he fought it on the ground.

It is a testament to him that Knock and surrounding areas have the infrastructure they have. He did not claim credit morning, noon and night, as many would, but he put his shoulder to the wheel. He ensured his was one of the voices that shouted, "Stop," to the decline of rural Ireland.

For the family who sacrifice so much, since they suffer the consequences of having someone in public life and people calling to the house at all hours of the day and night with all sorts of issue, it is as much their day as John's. It is important to pay tribute to them for all of the sacrifices they made during the years.

People die twice. There is, of course, the sad occasion of their passing, but then there is the time when people stop telling stories about them. Today we all share the stories about John, his generosity and calm and quiet way. I pay tribute to him and his family.