Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I know Senators were all deeply saddened to hear yesterday of the death of former Taoiseach, TD and European Union ambassador to the United States of America, John Bruton. He had a long career of service to his constituents and to Ireland. He was one of the youngest people ever elected to Dáil Éireann, being elected at the age of just 22 to the Meath constituency. He served consecutively from the Nineteenth Dáil to the Twenty-ninth Dáil, which is a huge era of service. Of course, we know that he held a lot of ministerial portfolios, as well as the highest office in these Chambers, as Taoiseach. He was elected Taoiseach in 1994 and served until 1997 and he has the unique distinction of being the only Taoiseach to take that office in a change of government midway through elections.

He was hugely popular with his colleagues on all sides of the House. In 2004, he took up the office of European Union ambassador to the United States of America, where he was one of the most active ambassadors that the European Union ever had, having a phenomenal reputation on Capitol Hill as a most engaging and enthusiastic advocate for Europe and Ireland. Of course, Ireland and the peace process were deepest among his thoughts. He was a patriot, always serving and striving for peace. He made a significant contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process through his friendship and relationship with John Major, as well as through his relationships with people across the United States of America. I am sure he would have been very pleased to see the Northern Ireland Executive back up and running last week. He was, as we know, a strong supporter of the EU, the European project, European integration and working together collaboratively on the longest-running peace process, that being the European Union itself.

For all his political successes, he was immensely proud of his family. They were his guiding light, greatest joy and certainly his proudest achievement. His brother, Deputy Richard Bruton, and sister, Mary, are in our thoughts today, along with his life partner and wife of many years, Finola, his son, Matthew, three daughters, Juliana, Emily and Mary-Elizabeth, and his grandchildren, Ophelia, Oliver, Hugo and Robin, who brought him so much happiness over the past number of years. On behalf of the House, I offer our condolences and sympathies to all who knew and loved him. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.