Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding Irishman, by virtue of how he was recognised by the State, and that is Chuck Feeney. As people know, he grew up with an Irish-American family background during the time of the Depression and set up a global duty free business. He then discovered that by giving while living he could have a transformative effect on so many aspects of global affairs. He obviously transformed the lives of so many and played an instrumental role in the peace process here. In particular, I want to acknowledge the contribution he made to Irish higher education and in particular to research. It is fair to say that the research infrastructure that exists in Ireland today would not be there were it not for Chuck Feeney and his contribution.

In the late 1990s when the Tánaiste, Deputy Micheál Martin, was Minister for Education, Chuck Feeney said he would put up a certain sum of money but the Government had to match it. The Tánaiste, Deputy Micheál Martin, went to Bertie Ahern and Chuck Feeney said that if it was not matched, he would walk away, and he delivered on it. All of our universities are much richer places and our research infrastructure in Ireland is far better as a result of the contribution of Chuck Feeney.

He famously never sought attention or accolades for all of his work. As somebody who had a transformative effect on this island and on the lives of so many, it is appropriate that this House acknowledge that contribution.