Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I know that yesterday in this House and the other House, tributes were paid to Cormac Ó Braonáin who died so tragically at the weekend at the age of 19. He was national chairperson of Labour Youth. I add my voice to those as a friend and comrade of Cormac. I express sympathies to his parents, Lú and Eva, his sister Muireann, and his family and friends.I had the great pleasure of knowing Cormac well. I canvassed with him over many different campaigns during recent years. For someone so young he had incredible reach, charisma, leadership and talent. I was at the vigil for him in Lios na nÓg, his former school in Ranelagh, where so many people spoke movingly of their own knowledge of him, friendship with him and of his work with the scouting movement. He was a leader in the scouting movement. He worked with the Irish language movement and undertook fundraising for the school and his former secondary school as well. He is an incredible loss to us in the Labour Party, to all of us who knew him and to all the many people and communities he touched. There will be a funeral service for him tomorrow in the Mansion House. I know many more tributes will be paid to him there but I wanted to put mine on the record.

I support the sentiments of Senators Clifford-Lee, Conway-Walsh and Ruane in calling for a debate on domestic violence. It is really important. I wish to express sympathies to the family of Nadine Lott. It is such a tragic story and death.

I am glad we are putting forward a motion on secretarial assistants. I think every Senator has signed it. That is great. I wish to pay tribute to Senator Ruane and Seb in her office for leading on it. It is important and it is good that we are coming together on the last sitting day to do that.

I wish colleagues and Oireachtas staff, yourself, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, and the Cathaoirleach the very best wishes for Christmas and the new year.