Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Since we were here last there have been a number of tragedies and sad passings. Máire Mhac an tSaoi and my fellow Kerryman, Brendan Kennelly, are a great loss to the nation and to their families. Our condolences to all the bereaved.

Last Friday, we saw the killing of Sir David Amess. I know I speak on behalf of all members of Seanad Éireann when I express our heartfelt sympathies to his family on their unimaginable loss. I also extend our sympathies to his parliamentary colleagues in Westminster who have felt his loss keenly on a personal level. They rightly see this, as we do, as an attack on democracy itself. All of us in Seanad Éireann are all too well aware of the degrading language and intemperate attitudes often used in political discourse in this day and age. While we all recognise that vigorous debate is part of our democracy, those who refuse to recognise and respect the right of people to hold different views and opinions need to reflect upon the kind of intolerance that sometimes leads to events such as the killing of Sir David. Sir David was a man of great dignity and principle. He was a decent man. He was a good friend of Ireland and he was an associate member of the British-Irish Parliamentary Association. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.