Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am honoured to say a few words today in the absence of our leader, Senator Doherty, who is unavoidably absent as she is in Brussels. I was shocked when I heard that Senator Norris was resigning because since I came into this House many moons ago, he was always here. He was always a friend and somebody that you could get advice from. The Senator was captured completely in the words of the Cathaoirleach when he referred to the letter from the President and Taoiseach. In my view, that summed up the real Senator Norris.

Senator Norris is an amazing man. He has fought many battles in this House, sometimes alone. If you had an idea or were speaking on an issue, it was an unbelievable lift to have somebody of the stature of the Senator come in behind you. He had a way with words. He was a champion of the language and would put the final touches to any case raised in this House.

As I said, it has been a honour to serve in this House with Senator Norris. He is one of the finest debaters in this country. On my travels around the country, when people hear I am a Member of the Seanad, they will often ask if I know Senator Norris. He is probably the only Senator I am asked about. I tell people that of course I know him and they ask me what he is like. That is always the next question. There is a certain curiosity about the Senator, and he has lived up to it on many occasions.

I have a very vivid memory from the time of the referendum on the abolition of the Seanad. Most of the Taoiseach's nominees of the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, were appointed as Independent Senators, with the result that the voting arrangements at the time were very tight. Of course, Senator Norris knew that because he was well able to add. He knew that when it came to the passing of the legislation on the referendum, the votes would be very tight. He pleaded with me to leave the Chair and come down onto the floor and vote against the Bill. His plea was so passionate that I nearly did leave the Chair and come down onto the floor. When the votes were cast and the sums done it was even-stevens, and I had to use my casting vote to allow the referendum to go ahead. It could only have been blocked anyway. Senator Norris knew the position and he pleaded with me to come down. Of course, he played to the gallery on that occasion as well.

On behalf of the Fine Gael group, I wish the Senator well in his retirement. There are not many people who have retired from the House in my time here. I also wish Senator Ó Donnghaile well in his retirement and for the future. One could count on one hand the number of Senators who have retired from the House. We, in Fine Gael, wish Senator Norris well. He has played a very important role in this Seanad over many years. He is the longest serving Senator in the history of the State. We wish him well and congratulate him on everything he has done.