Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome Deputy Cleere and Tom Dalton from Boolyglass, on the latter's 70th birthday, to the Seanad.

Before the Order of Business, I unfortunately must inform the House of the death of a former Member who passed away suddenly, the former Minister of State, Donal Carey from Clarecastle in County Clare. He was educated at St. Flannan's College and University College Dublin. He had a committed life of public service since 1974 when he was elected to Clare County Council, topping the poll as a Fine Gael candidate. He entered national politics as a Senator on the labour panel in 1981 before being elected to Dáil Éireann in 1982 where he served for two decades. He was appointed Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with responsibility for western development and rural renewal and also a Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, with responsibility for the Gaeltacht. In those roles, he was a champion of rural communities and cultural heritage, leaving a lasting impact on rural Ireland. He dedicated his career to ensuring rural Ireland had a strong voice at national level.

He was a proud member of the Clarecastle GAA club. He served there in numerous capacities: chairman; secretary; treasurer; and president. In a statement, the club said they had lost a favourite son who left a legacy that would not be matched.

Donal's life was one of service, one of integrity and one of dedication. His passing is a great lost to his homeplace of Clarecastle, to County Clare and to Ireland. His legacy will be enduring in the policies that he shaped and the example that he set. On behalf of this House, I am sure that we express our deepest condolences and sympathies to his children, Leonora, Joe and Donal, his brothers, sisters, grandchildren and all his extended family and friends. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

I ask Members to be upstanding to the memory of former Senator, Donal Carey.