Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend Senator Seery Kearney on that crucial point. The issue has been raised at the Council of Europe a number of times because it is a problem across Europe. I support the Senator's call for a debate.

I wish to speak about Paddy Moloney. Unlike Senator Murphy, I did not know him but I suspect that, like a number of people, I felt as if I did. He was such a warm and engaging man whenever he was interviewed on radio or television. What an ambassador he was for our country. I will set out a couple of my memories. In the early 1970s when I was only five or six years of age, my family brought me to the Albert Hall to see The Chieftains. I did not understand at the time why they were bringing me, but hindsight is very clear. I cannot say whether it was a wonderful performance. I just remember seeing the Albert Hall full of Irish, typically working-class, men and women, who took it over that evening. In the early 1970s, that was quite a thing, given everything that was happening. My family felt pride in going to see The Chieftains at that time.

I take Senator Murphy's point about the revenue but consider what The Chieftains did for our diaspora in London, the rest of England, Australia and America. They toured everywhere and gave us an amazing legacy of music. I wonder whether the likes of Planxty, Moving Hearts, Stockton's Wing and all the other great groups that we have had would have been possible without the legacy of The Chieftains. The Chieftains broke ground and put Irish music on the international stage in a way that had never been done before.

Paddy Moloney was an amazing man, he lived an incredible life and he meant so much to so many people. It is important that we remember him today.