Late taoiseach had hoped to attend dinner with Queen

THE late Garret FitzGerald had “hoped” to be well enough to attend the state banquet in Dublin Caste in which Queen Elizabeth delivered a historic speech just hours before he passed away.

The visit of the monarch was the “fruition” of the commitment of the former taoiseach to bringing about peace and reconciliation between Ireland and Britain, the Dáil heard.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was joined by speakers on all sides on the House in praising his role in Anglo-Irish relations and linking his vision with this week’s royal visit.

A minute’s silence for Dr FitzGerald, who served twice as taoiseach, was held in the Dáil following statements from all party leaders and TDs from his former constituency of Dublin South East.

Mr Kenny said: “His commitment to achieving peace and reconciliation on this island, and between Ireland and Britain, reached its fruition this very week the visit of Queen Elizabeth to Ireland. I know that he had hoped to be present at Dublin Castle last night but his illness prevented him from doing so.”

Tánaiste and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said “his absence was palpable” at the historic gathering “for it was he more than any other who was the intellectual and political father of the road that we have travelled together”.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin focused on his role in sowing the seeds for the Tallaght Strategy of cross-party support on economic issues, saying politicians of today should learn lessons from his ability to “put the country before politics”.

“That was crucial to Ireland getting beyond our last big financial crisis. Garret has not got the credit he deserves for this and for breaking the log-jam of adversarial politics.”

The Fianna Fáil leader also focused on Dr FitzGerald’s success in rebuilding the Fine Gael party and bringing it from a “low ebb” to 70 seats in 1982.

Education Minister and one time constituency rival, Ruairi Quinn, said it was a “privilege to serve in Government with him” from 1982-87. “I loved him dearly,” he said.

Minister for European Affairs and Dublin South East TD, Lucinda Creighton, said Dr FitzGerald was “the spiritual leader of Fine Gael”.

She said: “In the not too recent past, when I was coming under some pressure for comments I made, he took the time to approach me and say ‘Lucinda never ever waver, always follow your convictions, always stand up for what you believe in’.”