Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I, too, would like to be associated with the comments of Senator Conway on Michael Ryan. It is an absolutely tragic loss for his wife and children and his mother, who spoke amazingly well yesterday on television and on the radio. She showed great composure in acknowledging the great work he had been doing. I know Lahinch and Ennistymon quite well. I had occasion yesterday to meet the Kenyan ambassador and pass on my sympathies. Kenya was the country with the largest loss of life from this tragic incident.

In respect of the airlines, I understand that Ryanair, which is our country's largest airline in terms of aircraft, will be taking delivery of this particular model, one next month, two in May and two in June and onwards. Ryanair has an order for 150 of them. I am certainly not trying to get into a row with Michael O'Leary or anyone else but, whatever the glitch, it does seem more than a coincidence that we have had two brand new aircraft of this model seemingly being lost in very similar circumstances just as they take off. Hopefully Boeing and the aviation world can get to grips with this. We have all flown on 737s over the years and they are a particularly safe aircraft generally. I ask that this be done.

In respect of Brexit, it does not look like this deal is going to pass. The European Research Group, ERG, members are saying they are not supporting it. It is not enough for them. The British Attorney General has said it improves it but not enough. Whatever concerns we might have had about the deal that was announced last night are probably not going to come to pass because it does not look like the deal is going to pass. I wish Sinn Féin luck in getting the Taoiseach into the Dáil. I think he is halfway to Washington at this stage. I would be surprised if he were able to come back just for Senator Conway-Walsh or any of her colleagues.