I join in sending my sympathies to John Connor’s family. I knew John Connor well and I engaged with him on many occasions. One of the abiding memories I have of him is his great skill as an orator. He could make his words come alive in this Chamber and in the Dáil. It is a skill not too many politicians have but he had in buckets and abundance. He was passionate about rural life, Roscommon and his party. He had the skill to bring the passion in an ordered way with clarity, function, purpose and thought, and bedded it into legislation. People listen to people who come with a considered view. That is the abiding memory I have of him.

Along with the Taoiseach and others, including Senator Seán Kyne, I recently visited the Bord Bia Innovator Campus in Athenry, County Galway, which is a lovely part of the world. The Minister for agriculture is due to launch a document this week related to women, agriculture and food. We need more women in agriculture and food. The Taoiseach highlighted in Athenry on Friday the significance of women entrepreneurs in food. I wish the Bord Bia Innovator Campus every success.

Finally, I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate Rachel Brown from Ballina, Mayo, who has been elected president of the Veterinary Council of Ireland. It is a prestigious position to hold. Rachel is a practising vet from Ballina. She succeeded a previous woman, Vivienne Duggan, who was there for two years. Well done to the women being elected to the most senior positions in veterinary medicine and nursing in Ireland.

I call the father of the House, Senator Paddy Burke.

I rise to support the motion for John Connor. I was saddened when I heard the news that John Connor had been involved in an accident and sadly passed away. I served in this Chamber with John Connor from 1997, I think, to 2002. As previous Senators said, he was one of the finest orators who graced these Chambers. He had a way with the English language and he had a great ability to put his point across not just on agriculture but many subjects that were raised.

His battles with the Leader of the House at the time, Donie Cassidy, are legendary. He had many a battle with Donie Cassidy – nearly every morning on the Order of Business – and they are well documented.

John Connor, as the Cathaoirleach said, was elected in 1981. He was a short period in the Dáil, he then went into the Seanad, back into the Dáil again and then back into the Seanad. Of course, the constituency in Roscommon was finely balanced between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael at that time. Sometimes it was two Fianna Fáil representatives and one Fine Gael, or two Fine Gael and two Fianna Fáil. It was always either him or Liam Naughten. One was in the Seanad and the other was in the Dáil. It was a difficult constituency to hold down a Dáil seat in. They had the same battles in Fianna Fáil between Terry Leyden and Seán Doherty.

John Connor was both a TD and a Senator and served for 20 years in Roscommon County Council. He was a great public representative. He was very popular right across the political divide. It is with great sadness that we learned he was involved in a car accident. I wish to be associated with the expressions of sympathy to the Connor family.

John Connor and I were on the agricultural panel. We never had any falling out. We both got elected and we were the best of friends. That is the way John Connor was. He was a very nice man and I am saddened to say he has passed away.