John McGahon (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is one of the sadder contributions I have had to make in the House. It is to pay tribute to the late David Hill, who was playing with the Scottish Parliament against the Dáil and Seanad team on Saturday and tragically passed away during the match. We had come to know David immensely well over the past three or four years, both from going to Edinburgh to play and from them coming here. David was an incredibly nice young man. He had worked for the Scottish Conservative Party for a number of years.He was well respected not only by those in his party but by people across the political spectrum in Scottish politics. That was a testament to the concept of parliamentary rugby, which is that the political differences that we all experience in political parties are left at the door when we go to play. David was a young man who was tragically taken away from his family. I send our heartfelt prayers and thoughts to David's family and to his friends, not only in the Scottish Parliament but also in wider society.

I listened to his boss, Mr. Jamie Greene, Member of the Scottish Parliament, this morning talk about how somebody had kindly left a vase of daffodils on David's desk in the Scottish Parliament. He said he hoped and felt that the vase of daffodils would serve as a small reminder that even in the darkest depths of winter, spring will come. I really hope that will come along for David's friends and family as soon as possible. I acknowledge David's father, Rodger, his mother, Sharon, his step-parents, Lesley and Gordon, his younger siblings, Alex and Georgia, and his two adored nephews, Freddie and Hunter. It is a horrific tragedy. It is one of those things, and I do not say this lightly, whereby at whatever stage we are in this life we do not know what our last interaction with a loved one or anyone could be. That was brought home to many of us on Saturday.

I pay tribute to the paramedics who spent 35 to 40 minutes working on David on the pitch last Saturday. We want to send from the Oireachtas to David's family and friends our deepest and most heartfelt sympathies on this most awful tragedy for David Hill and his family.