Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

He is willing to join in laughing at himself. As has been said here today, he has championed the underprivileged. I can attest to that. He has represented the educationally underprivileged graduates of Trinity College a long time. Those of us who represent the graduates of NUI are glad that he has been here to see justice done for that group.

He has, in addition, done so much for other causes – the Palestinians, and issues like South Africa and apartheid that we are all forgetting today. All I want to say is that on behalf of the Independent Group, with whom he has served in recent years, it has been a pleasure dealing with him. We are sorry to see him go. We are glad to see that he is going in good order and with his drums beating still. We wish him every happiness in his future years.