Róisín Garvey (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

It is a pure honour to be in Senator Norris's company. It did not happen half as much as I would have liked it to have happened. I remember the day I was called up to the Seanad, the first person I thought of was him. I thought he was an inspiring person and that I might actually get to meet him and be in the same room as him. I was completely starstruck. I remember being a very young teenager the day he was elected. He was like a breath of fresh air in politics. I was a complete cynic. I heard a lot of the same voices saying the same things. One sketch said there was a Minister for saying absolutely nothing three different ways, but Senator Norris was the antithesis to that. He was the glimmer of hope I got for caring about politics. He gave me a whole new sense of public service and a deep sense of the responsibility of all of us as a State and a democracy to play our part, whether in public life, through volunteering, or other ways. I always found Senator Norris inspiring in that he stood up, put his head above the parapet and kept it up there. It is still up there. It is not an easy place to be because one always gets shot down by somebody if one puts one's head above the parapet.Too many people follow the status quoand are silent about many issues we have had in this country for many decades. Senator Norris led the way on many different issues, not just on gay rights. Senator Norris gave everybody, who might have been afraid to speak before, a voice. He has to take a lot of credit for many things that have changed in this country in the last few decades. We had the eighth amendment, gay marriage - of course, Senator Norris was involved in that - and women's rights. As a single mother, I have to say that I found my voice through people like Senator Norris. I hope he realises the reach he has had.

Senator Norris was a maverick and was way before his time. Finally now, some of the systems and State rules have finally caught up with him and it is great to hear that he is supporting the referendum on the family that we are bringing in. That is something that is archaic and decades behind. Senator Norris led the way on that again. I am delighted to hear that he is going to canvas, as I will.

It is really important to recognise people like Senator Norris in order to give other people some hope that they can be part of the solution and part of progress and change. We live in a world, which even in the last few years, has become so polarised. It is all about "us and them" and "I am right and you are wrong". There is no debate. The art of debate is disappearing quickly and in a huge way thanks to social media and political points scoring. Hugely deep issues are being used to score points, as opposed to a focus on resolving them. I find that a lot in politics and it is quite disappointing. When I was in college I loved debating. I have three all-Ireland debating medals as Gaeilge. The art of debate is fading and people like Senator Norris inspired me to go on with that element of debate because the United States has been completely destroyed thanks to this polarisation. I fear that similar things might happen here when I see political points scoring. The Senator is the antithesis of that and is exactly what we need in Irish politics. He is a credit to our country. Ní bheidh do leithéid arís ann. Go raibh míle maith agat.