Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I too stand today to salute a great Irishman, a great statesman and a great human being. I first met John Bruton when I was a student in UCD studying politics and economics back in the early 1990s before he went into government. The one thing about being a member of Young Fine Gael in UCD was that the leader seemed to pop in a lot. He had a huge regard for young people. He went into universities on a regular basis. He may not have been the most popular leader of the Opposition and certainly at times he did not say what might be construed as being popular among young people. However, as others have said he debated and argued his point. He took a great interest in the people he met and I certainly felt that. He took a great interest in me, my life story and my potential interest in politics.

I was in Leinster House in December 1994 on the day he became Taoiseach. I was in the Public Gallery. Now, when a Taoiseach is elected, they are led by the Captain of the Guard down the ceremonial corridor and out to the car.Back then, it was not as formal. I can remember well John Bruton putting his head in the door of the visitors bar, saying he was off to the park. I can still hear the roar that day, because nobody back then expected Fine Gael to go into government. As has been said here already, he was the first person to become Taoiseach mid-term. After that, when I was involved and a member of Young Fine Gael in UCD, the branch was brought into Government Buildings and we had a meeting with the Taoiseach in the Sycamore Room. I do not think a college branch would get into the Sycamore Room as easily now as we did then. He was interested in listening to what young people had to say. He challenged us and expected us to challenge him. He went on to be a phenomenal statesman during the term of that Government.

During that period as Taoiseach, he made many visits to County Clare. He secured the new terminal in Shannon Airport. That funding was provided under his stewardship as Taoiseach at the time. On behalf of the people of County Clare and, indeed, the Clare Fine Gael constituency, I would like to offer my sympathies to John Bruton and his family. He left Government in 1997, and I think that was a real shame. His style of government and leadership, had it continued, would have been very much in the interest of the country. I acknowledge the role he played in terms of the peace process, flying to London to sign the framework agreement, which was a very important agreement at the time. It was very instrumental in where we are today. His role in that has been acknowledged and very much appreciated and respected.

I decided to go into politics in 1999, and stood for the local elections. I stood for the convention, which I did not win, but John Bruton added me to the ticket. I remember getting a phone call one day to say that John was coming to Ennistymon to canvass with me for two hours. He was doing a day's functions in Limerick and would be in Galway the following day, and was going to stop off on the way. To say I was stunned was an understatement. He came, and there was bingo on at the time, and he spent two hours going around and meeting everybody, drawing bingo balls, taking photographs and having the craic. Sadly, it was not enough to get me elected at the time, but we persevered. I remember getting a call from him after I was elected as a councillor in 2004, which I was equally dumbstruck to get. It was unexpected, but it was wonderful.

In later years, I used to meet him early in the morning in the reading room downstairs. He would be going to a meeting or doing a function in Dublin and he would come in early in the morning and read the papers. Over the years, from 2011 right up until before the pandemic, you would meet John regularly downstairs in the reading room going through the papers. It was on those mornings that I had many a long conversation with him. I was always impressed at his level of detail and how he followed all our careers. He was not afraid to say he would go in a different direction if he was on the justice committee, for example, or would do this or that. He was always challenging, and challenging for the better. He loved Ireland and the Fine Gael Party. He loved Leinster House and everybody who was involved in politics, irrespective of whether he agreed with them or not. He was a true democrat, admired people who put their name on the ballot paper and saluted their courage. Ireland has lost a great leader and a great statesman. His family has lost a dear loved one. Finola, Matthew and the girls, and our great colleague and friend, Richard, have our heartfelt sympathies. They can take great solace from the outpouring of admiration not just nationally but internationally.