An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-26
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Cathal Byrne (FG), Cultural and Educational Panel

I join with colleagues today in expressing congratulations to our former colleague and former Leader of Seanad Éireann, Seán Kyne, on his election to Dáil Éireann. One of the big things that stands for me about Seán is his interest in public service, his decency and also the respect he had for the institution that is Seanad Éireann. In the time that he was the Leader of the Seanad, he recognised the important role we do here as a legislative Chamber made up of different groupings, parties and people who have very different policy beliefs, but all of whom believe in the importance of democracy and the importance of this institution as a legislative Chamber and a Chamber for discussion and debate. In his contributions as Leader while responding on a daily and weekly basis to the Order of Business, I always felt that he took up those issues and that there was a balance in the debates that led from the Order of Business here, recognising the various different groupings that we have here. I congratulate him, his family and the Fine Gael Party and organisation in Galway, including the very hard-working team of Galway councillors who played a very important role in the election campaign. I also congratulate Daniel Ennis on his election as a representative for Dublin Central. This is very much a day for them and their families. I hope that they both have the opportunity to reflect on the big moment that it is to take a seat in the Lower House.
As somebody who was elected to the same panel as Seán Kyne, I particularly want to congratulate him.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-26/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:59+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-26