Seanad debates

Wednesday, 8 June 2016

2:30 pm

Photo of David NorrisDavid Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I count that as a really good standing ovation and one Senator O'Donovan richly deserves. I did not mention former Senator Francie O'Brien and a great Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, former Senator Rory Kiely, because I did not see them in the Gallery.

I wish to add my words of praise to Senator O'Donovan. I have known him for many years and have witnessed him here quietly and effectively, but also passionately, defending those things he saw as being important. In particular, I have been in the House when there was almost nobody else listening to him speak with immense conviction about the question of fishing. We talk about the European Union and how much we owe it but it owes us €200 billion in terms of our fish stocks and it is people like Senator O'Donovan who defend the fishing reserves of the country. In the Chair, he was open-hearted and reasonable. I think I only saw him lose his temper once and I will not sully the record of the House by disclosing where it was. It gives me great pleasure in this moment of my brief glory to call a very popular Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, Senator O'Donovan. I offer him my strong support and send him my very best wishes for a splendid term as Cathaoirleach.

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