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Dail Éireann · 2023-03-30

Tribute to Noel Murphy

IND Thomas Pringle · Donegal

Party shown is the one held on 2023-03-30, frozen at parse time — not the speaker's party today.

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Summary of this debate

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Before proceeding to the next business, I draw Members' attention to the fact that today we bid farewell to a long-standing member of staff in the Houses of the Oireachtas, namely, our superintendent, Noel Murphy, who is quite properly in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. Noel joined the public service in 1978 and came to us in Leinster House in 1999. I know all Members would like to thank him for his incredible work ethic and for his efficiency, dedication, good humour and amiability at all times.

I suspect the children of Members and staff who come in here at Christmas to meet Santa, however, will be raising a few eyebrows this Christmas when the new Santa persona is revealed. On behalf of everybody here, I most sincerely wish Noel, his wife Fiona and their children Aoife, Daniel, Sophie and Caitlin all the best in Noel's retirement. Ray Hesse, is here with us today as well.

Built by scoring every sentence in the debate on how distinctive its language is, then quoting the highest-scoring ones back word for word and in the order spoken. Nothing is paraphrased or invented — if a sentence appears here, it was said in the chamber. Drawn from 258 words across 7 contributions by 3 speakers.

Most used terms in this debate

How often each word appears across the whole debate, ranked by how distinctive it is to this debate rather than common to all parliamentary language.

noel 3
santa 2
amiability 1
hesse 1
noel's 1
retirement 2
newfound 1
caitlin 1
persona 1
farewell 1
eyebrows 1
sophie 1

The full debate

All 7 contributions, start to finish, in the order they were made. The one you came here for is highlighted.

CC Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Before proceeding to the next business, I draw Members' attention to the fact that today we bid farewell to a long-standing member of staff in the Houses of the Oireachtas, namely, our superintendent, Noel Murphy, who is quite properly in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. Noel joined the public service in 1978 and came to us in Leinster House in 1999.

Many Members will know him very well for his work in the committees. He has been a permanent feature around the Houses for 24 years. I know all Members would like to thank him for his incredible work ethic and for his efficiency, dedication, good humour and amiability at all times. We will miss him. I suspect the children of Members and staff who come in here at Christmas to meet Santa, however, will be raising a few eyebrows this Christmas when the new Santa persona is revealed. Do not be looking at me because-----

FF Micheál Martin

I just was.

CC Seán Ó Fearghaíl

-----I might be the right shape, but I do not think I have the personality for it.

FF Micheál Martin

Deputy Pringle could rise to it.

IND Thomas Pringle this contribution

I am aspiring to it.

CC Seán Ó Fearghaíl

On behalf of everybody here, I most sincerely wish Noel, his wife Fiona and their children Aoife, Daniel, Sophie and Caitlin all the best in Noel's retirement. I hope they make the most of his newfound freedom and that his retirement is long, healthy and happy.

CC Seán Ó Fearghaíl

I am also advised that a former loyal servant of the House, Mr. Ray Hesse, is here with us today as well. He is very welcome.

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