Kenny leads tributes to late minister McEntee

Dáil tributes to the late minister Shane McEntee, who died suddenly at Christmas, were led by the Taoiseach yesterday.

Enda Kenny said that the Fine Gael TD, 56, who took his own life at his home in Nobber, Co Meath, had left a “great void”. The Taoiseach said Mr McEntee was well liked for his compassion and gentleness.

With Mr McEntee’s wife and children in the gallery, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said he knew what it was like to look down on the chamber and hear words about someone you love.

He had known Mr McEntee a long time before they worked together at the agriculture department.

“One always felt better after meeting him than one felt before, particularly if struggling with an issue. He tended to bring clarity to things quickly, knowing the difference between right and wrong and not really understanding or caring for the kind of PR management on which many of us focus too much.”

He said lessons should be learnt about what drove him to his death. “I hope we as a House collectively, and those who cover the work we do, will think about what happened and the circumstances which drove Shane to this tragedy, for him and his family, and that we will learn some lessons from him, his personality and his decency, which is something we have lost in public life in the past four to five years, in particular as times have become more difficult and tougher.”

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said Mr McEntee’s death had been a reminder to all of the “frailties of life”.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams praised Mr McEntee’s politeness as he remembered an incident in which the minister had apologised after heckling him in the Dáil chamber.

Independent TD Clare Daly spoke for the technical group, saying Mr McEntee always “wore his heart on his sleeve”.