Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----that went on particularly long. Senator Ó Clochartaigh deserves to be acknowledged and to have a celebration, not just on leaving here but in commencing the next chapter of his life. That is equally important because he can advocate for and promulgate our language and culture in TG4, which is a wonderful asset to the nation, not just for its sport, language and cultural broadcasts but in making our language accessible to all citizens. Senator Ó Clochartaigh undersold himself in quoting John O’Donohue. His voice was heard clearly and the most important thing a politician can do is come in here with integrity, compassion and conviction, and be heard.

I wish him well in his new post and I wish his family well. We will miss him. I got to know him better when he moved to an office close to mine. I hope that in these last few hours as a Senator he will not describe himself as a former Senator. He was a person who made change, who helped to bring change about and inspired many members of staff and Members of this House to use the Irish language. He challenged people like me, who took the honours Irish paper in the leaving certificate, to use it more. There were occasions when, unlike Senator Paddy Burke, I had no idea what he was saying. It was wonderful to hear Senator Ó Clochartaigh ag labhairt ár dteanga dúchais because it gives us a sense of importance and what Senator Ó Céidigh described as a sense of place. A country without its people, its sense of place and its language is nothing. It is dead. For as long as Senator Ó Clochartaigh will be written and spoken about as an iarr-Seanadóir he will be associated not just with the Irish language but also the pursuit of human rights. As a republican on this side of the House I shared many of Senator Ó Clochartaigh's views. I hope he will remember fondly his time here. As the Cathaoirleach said, he will be reclaimed by his family but I hope he can escape it from time to time as well and continue his advocacy for, and promulgation of, the Irish language. I wish him well, go n-éirigh an bothar leis.

Senators Mark Daly, Coghlan, Feighan and Ó Domhnaill referred to Brexit. The draft document has been published. This is an important day for our country. I accept what Senator Ó Domhnaill says about the need for an update in the House. I have requested that either the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade or the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Deputy McEntee, come to the House in the coming weeks. That may not be possible next week but we will endeavour to do that as soon as possible. We are of one mind in this House that we should all work to make the North of our country part of the customs union. As the Taoiseach said this morning, if the British Government does not like option C it should put forward another option. Since the British people made their decision on Brexit the Government has worked to ensure that our island was viewed as one. As Senator Mark Daly rightly said there are so many crossings to the North of the country that it is impossible to even contemplate a return to a hard border.