David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

On the Order of Business, we normally refer to the passing of colleagues from the Seanad or the Lower House or distinguished politicians. It is also important that we recognise the significance of cultural voices. I was very saddened last night to learn of the death of Sandy Harsch. She had a most distinctive, velvety midnight voice and I used to listen to her every Saturday on "Country Time". I never met her but I felt she was a friend. RTÉ has a great talent for finding people with distinctive voices like Gay Byrne, Val Joyce and Sandy Harsch. Sandy had an encyclopaedic knowledge of country music and won for Ireland a series of international radio awards of which we can be very proud. I would like to mention her passing and send my sympathy to her family.