Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would like to join other Senators in paying tribute to the late former Senator Jack Fitzsimons, who died last year. I welcome his family to the Gallery. I would like to express sympathies on behalf of all of us here in the House and in particular in my role as leader of the Labour Party group. As others have said, Jack was a Fianna Fáil Member of Seanad Éireann. He was elected in 1983 and re-elected in 1987. He was based in Kells, County Meath. As we have heard, he was very active in his local community. His work had an impact well beyond his own community. As others have said, his work as an architect and his publishing record - I am thinking particularly of the famous 1970s publication, Bungalow Bliss- had a huge impact on many people throughout Ireland. This book has been described as a design handbook for affordable housing that shows how bright modern bungalows can be synonymous with escape from rural poverty and domestic drudgery. It spawned a great deal of debate on development and planning across the country.

As we have heard, Jack was also well known for his views as a vocal opponent of hunting and hare coursing and his resolutely principled stance on those issues.As others have said, he also took a principled and independently minded stance with his resignation from Fianna Fáil in 1989 on the grounds that there was, apparently, no ideology, consistency or positive approach within the party at the time. As others have said, he went on to have a very active career in local politics and to run for the European Parliament. While in the Seanad, as we heard, he contributed to debates on a range of topics, including the Irish language and, perhaps most important, the national monuments legislation. His work in planning and conservation arising from his professional practice as an architect deserves honourable mention. His publications, including not just Bungalow Blissbut others on Meath, democracy and other topics, have been mentioned and are particularly noteworthy.

I express sincere sympathies to his wife, Anne, his children, his grandchildren and his extended family.