Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Our guests are all very welcome.

When Mary Jackman was laid to rest this time last year, tributes flowed in from across her beloved Limerick and beyond. At home, she was described as one of the great icons of her local community. In reference to her political career, she was described as a pioneer of opportunity. Throughout her life, Mary Jackman was most certainly a pioneer. With her mother's side of the family having been what she described as roaring Fianna Fáilers, she had the audacity to join Fine Gael. By God, was that our blessing. Having embarked on a teaching career in Limerick's Presentation College, Mary took her leap into electoral politics in 1985 when she won a seat on Limerick City Council. In the council chamber, she was just one of two or three women on a body including 30 men. On the council, Mary learned very quickly how to fight her won corner, or, as she would say, to throw in the odd scud missile, because she had to. At every meeting, she would get a hard time from some of the officials who did not have a clue how to deal with a woman as they had been so used to dealing mainly with men until she and her colleagues appeared.

That was during the Garret FitzGerald era and while women in Irish politics were few and far between, Mary was part of an up-and-coming force of formidable female Fine Gael representatives across the country. Those are women we still look up to today, including Monica Barnes, Nuala Fennell, Gemma Hussey, Madeleine Taylor-Quinn and Nora Owen, who ran alongside my mother in Malahide in 1979. They were able to give guidance when all of the rest of us Fine Gael women ran for election. They were women who, as Mary put it, were bright and prepared, and who knew what they were talking about. They were outspoken and serious, and nothing fazed them. They were different and bright sparks. They had great craic altogether and learned from each other. When I look around at many of my female colleagues in this House, I think we could say the same.

Mary ran unsuccessfully for the Dáil in several elections. In the general election of June 1997, she was ahead of the late Jim Kemmy by 472 votes on the tenth count but ultimately the seat went to the Labour Party.Nonetheless she was a proud member of the Seanad, elected on two occasions between 1989 and 1993 and then 1997 and 2002. As I am sure Senator Maria Byrne will tell us more about, she made history as the first public representative from Limerick County Council to become a Senator. As we know, this House is a civilised place full of intelligent discussion and Mary loved it. It was not parochial or adversarial; it was collegial. Mary, who was a teacher, had endless opportunity to discuss matters relating to her beloved education sector and her interest in education stayed with her. She went on to design the new leaving certificate applied geography syllabus, which was one of her proudest achievements. She embodied the value of the Seanad. As I have said previously, something I have grown to appreciate during my time here is that we have people from all walks of life. I do not want to leave anyone out. Every Member of the Seanad comes from a unique background and brings something valuable to this Chamber. In addition to having a passion for education, Mary Jackman was a woman who paved the way for other women, not only in politics but in wider society, through her membership of joint committees on women's rights, health and children. It is clear from her record that, as a public representative, Mary put public service at the core of everything she did. The majority of her time in politics was prior to the abolition of the dual mandate and for a number of years she served as both a Member of the Seanad and a member of then Limerick County Council. In 1998, she became, as has been mentioned, the first lady cathaoirleach of that council. She was a pioneer in many ways and that is how we remember her; as someone who was part of a generation of trailblazing women who paved the way for those of us who have followed. She was kind, as has been said, and forever positive, which is important in politics but is often forgotten. Her record of public service sets an example for us all.