Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Green Party grouping, I convey our deepest sympathy to the former Taoiseach's wife Finola, to his family, in particular to our Oireachtas colleague Richard. It is very poignant when we lose one and when one of our own suffers such a direct bereavement, to his many friends and to the Fine Gael family. As legislators, we bring our ideals, experience, vigilance and intelligence to the legislative process. These values are especially important at a time when expertise is undervalued and those who seek to destabilise both our communities and the world order through, for instance, the use of social media, are busy at their work. Populism concocts enemies, exaggerates social problems for its own benefit and proposes divisive slogans as solutions. Populism often seeks out legitimate social problems, not to cure them, but to undermine the very fabric of society. It sets a them-against-us narrative.

John Bruton was not a them-and-us politician. He was authentic and genuine. John Bruton was not a populist. He had an old-style way with his notebook in his back pocket taking notes all the time. He was pivotal. Just as the Attorneys General came out very late in the day to save this Upper House, John Bruton's intervention and contribution in the second divorce referendum when he gave us a dose of his raw authentic honesty, tipped that referendum single-handedly. He was innovative. His view on the 1916 Rising is well documented. However, looking at what he said on Northern Ireland, he was brave. He was before his time yet he was utterly committed to peace. I remember he appointed my college friend, Brian Hayes, as a peace envoy to Northern Ireland. He took abuse for that position. He was not in synch with the cosy cartel of Irish nationalism at the time but he has been totally vindicated in reaching out the hand as the only way forward as a precursor to the Good Friday Agreement for which he was instrumental in setting up the infrastructure and framework. It is an example of his thinking outside the box that we should encourage. I was particularly taken by his open-mindedness on how sometimes in a coalition, perhaps there would be room for a Green Taoiseach as thinking outside the box and of doing things differently in coalition.They epitomise bravery and an intellectualism that has at its heart a vibrancy and an innovation. Looking back on his career, one of his finest, shining 24 hours was his second motion of no confidence motion against him. He went on "Questions and Answers" the night before the vote and he was full of passion and dedication. He came alive. It was ironic that he was speaking to the nation but only the few in the parliamentary party had the vote on that occasion. He was just so alive, so convincing and so dedicated in his contribution on that "Questions and Answers" broadcast when he tried to rescue a situation where, a day later, he had fallen short. However, within a very short time, his dignified acceptance of that result reminded me of Liam Cosgrave handing over power to Jack Lynch in the RTÉ studio. For me and for those who know Fine Gael, its commitment to law and order is not a catchy sound bite but it goes to the core. John Bruton epitomised this decency and deep concern for law and order and the desire that politics passes flawlessly following an election. We all saw what happened on 6 January in American when politics was in peril.

We can best pay tribute to John Bruton by remembering the resilience and fighting spirit on that "Questions and Answers" show when his back was against the wall and to remember his acceptance of democracy and his unequivocal and unreserved acceptance of a democratic outcome. We can remember his decision to continue then, and that that was not the end, but there was further public service. The best tribute we can pay our distinguished, late Taoiseach is to cherish European values and condemn in any form violence of any type for any reason - the taking of life, maiming or injuring people can never be justified for political goals - and to call out populism and ensure it is not tolerated. In yesteryear, the currency of corruption might have been tribunals of inquiry. The currency of corruption and distortion today is a form of vile populism that is challenging the world order. We have to take a leaf out John Bruton's sincerity, honesty and his genuine, straight-up approach to politics by not letting populism thrive and by encouraging individual thinking, even in parties that have whip systems, which are outdated, to encourage and incentivise individual thinking and the flourishing of new ideas and to be inclusive of everyone on the island. He has been totally vindicated in his approach. He was one of few who stood up at that time. That is a lasting legacy and it is would be tribute were we to reach that high standard of inclusivity on the island of Ireland.