Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I am glad to have the opportunity to say a few brief words about the late Willie Farrell. Coming from Sligo and a political family, I first came to know him personally from a very young age. I remember the 1977 general election and, although I was only four years old at the time, remember distinctly that he drove a car that I was convinced was from outer space. Those who knew him well will recall that he was a great supporter of Citroen vehicles and had an enormous loudspeaker, the biggest I have ever seen. I will always recall him from a child's perspective. I always knew him to be someone who was gentle and grandfatherly, if I can use that term. I became extremely fond of him.

On the political front, the Leader of the House has covered all of the ground that needs to be covered and Willie's legacy is very significant. If I was to pick one item, it would be his legacy of employment in the north west - north County Sligo and his native Grange - and the country as a whole. Even in these difficult times, the employment figures are most significant. SF Engineering is headed by his son, Seamus, but there are many other industries in the area. There is no town or village of similar size which could compete in terms of the diversity of enterprise and the numbers employed. That is the legacy of Willie Farrell more than anybody else, including those currently in business in the area.

It extends throughout north County Sligo. People from the county will know that Willie strongly supported getting Branley's Yard in Rathcormack and many other enterprises off the ground.

Willie Farrell championed people with disabilities, having snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when he turned a terrible accident into an advantage by becoming a world class sportsman in golf and other pursuits. He also had a commitment to health and other causes and was involved in fund-raising activities, including, I recall, a golfing trip in which he played a game in all four provinces and for which he may have used a helicopter. The Leader referred to Willie's great fund-raising efforts on behalf of a home for people with disabilities which involved travelling to Dublin by pony and trap.

I extend sympathies to all the Farrell family, including Seamus, Liam and Helen, their husbands and children and Seamus's father-in-law who is also present. Tributes have been paid to many people in my nine years as a Member of the House but I do not recall so many supporters and other associates of the deceased being present in the Gallery as are present today. I note, for instance, the presence of Councillor Patsy Barry and his family, the Feeney family, Hugh Gallagher and former Deputy Matt Brennan. That the president of the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers is also here is a reminder that the IPAV was the body that nominated Willie to run for the Seanad. The presence of so many in the House epitomises the respect in which Willie was held and the contribution he made.

The Leader referred to Willie Farrell's contributions to local government, the Seanad and many aspects of the Fianna Fáil Party. As Senator O'Toole stated, Willie had a can-do attitude. He rose to the challenge and fought for the cause of Fianna Fáil. While I am sure he would have been saddened to have noted the much depleted numbers of the party in Leinster House, he would have insisted that we rose to the challenge. The spirit of the Willie Farrell I knew from my childhood, the man who showed through his entrepreneurship what Grange in north County Sligo could achieve, will encourage me, as a relatively young person, to be the best I can in life, business and the Fianna Fáil Party. If there is one thing I have learned from Willie, it is do the best I can. I will sum up Willie Farrell in a single sentence, one I have used to describe other people but which has never been more appropriate. He was all graces and no airs.