Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The next item is tributes to our former colleague and friend, iar-Sheanadóir Mary Jackman. I welcome her husband, Nick; daughter, Nicola Reyna; grandchildren, Nicholas and Sean; sister, Ursula; nephews, Ray and Brian; and friends, Betty Walsh, Michael Dwyer, Dymphna Bracken and Marian Hurley to the Gallery. I also welcome our former colleague and friend, and former Senator and Deputy, Michael Finucane. He is welcome back to Leinster House. We are also joined by the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, and Deputy Fergus O'Dowd, both of whom were friends of Mary Jackman and served with her in Seanad Éireann. All our guests are very welcome. I thank Senator Maria Byrne for organising today.

As Members will be aware, Mary Jackman served for two terms in this House and, unfortunately, died in May 2022. The Houses of the Oireachtas passed a motion paying tribute to her and as Cathaoirleach, and as a friend of Mary's, it is my privilege today to convene this part of the business of the House to pay tribute to her.

Mary Jackman was born in Cappawhite, County Tipperary, but as we all know, spent a considerable part of her life in Limerick. As a teacher and educator, she taught in Presentation College in Limerick city. Mary's passion was education. It played an enormous part in her life. Her achievements as a teacher and mentor are extraordinary. She was a member of the governing body of the University of Limerick, UL, and the Limerick Institute of Technology, as well as chairing the Limerick county vocational educational committee, VEC, for five years. Those of us who knew Mary Jackman know she would have been proud of the way in which the education sector in Limerick is thriving today. In many ways, the growth of UL and the Technological University of the Shannon, TUS, and that model of education, serves as one of her legacies in her political work.

Along with her work in education, she also worked with many local agencies in establishing Castletroy College and served on its board of management. Mary and I shared a common interest and desire to have the leaving certificate applied programme advanced on the education system as a real alternative to, and with parity of esteem with, the leaving certificate. I know from many conversations with Mary, and from meeting a number of her past pupils, it was those students on the margins of the education system who benefited in many ways from her sterling work in education.

As many Members will know, Mary was an avid sportswoman, captaining her camogie team while studying. She did not always admit that she studied in University College Cork, UCC, and I used to like to slag her about attending UCC. Later in life, she took part in the Great Limerick Run. One of the things about Mary was that she was always on the go and active.

As Members and her family and friends will be aware, she was political. She made a vast contribution to political life, especially in Limerick, and was one of the founding members of the Limerick Women's Political Association. She was the first female chair of Limerick County Council and served for almost 30 years. She was one of the longest-serving councillors in a local authority. Her grandfather, Patrick Duggan, served on the very first Limerick County Council and Mary was very proud to continue that family tradition of public service. Here in Seanad Éireann, she was the first female Senator to represent Limerick, serving from 1989 to 1992 and again from 1997 to 2002.

Mary Jackman was a very warm, kind, caring and considerate person. She was very engaging. She was always offering support and guidance. However, she was firm in her beliefs and had many positions of conviction that she was not afraid to speak on and stand up for. Her contributions in this Chamber were diverse. Her strong voice was to the fore on matters of health, education and equality. In one of her final contributions in 2002, she called on the Minister for Education to assist children with special needs. As always, education, fairness and looking after the most vulnerable in society were key parts of her political life and her life in general.

On my behalf and that of the House, I extend and renew the sympathies of all of us to Nicholas and Nicola, to her sister, Ursula, her grandchildren and her extended family and friends on her loss. May she rest in peace. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.