Former Labour TD Emmet Stagg dies, aged 79

Labour leader Ivana Bacik paid tribute to the former junior minister for communications and transport. File Picture

Former minister of state and Labour stalwart Emmet Stagg has died aged 79.

Originally from Mayo, Mr Stagg served as a TD for Kildare and North Kildare from 1987 to 2016.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik paid tribute to the former junior minister for communications and transport.

“I want to pay tribute to our friend and colleague Emmet Stagg on his passing, and extend our deepest sympathies to his wife Mary, children Gillian and Henry, extended family, friends, and supporters,” she said.

“Throughout his time in Labour politics he played a central role in the Party and in the internal debates within it.

“During the 1980s as a significant voice on the left of the Party he articulated positions often in confrontation with the leadership. 

He was also a great mentor to me when I first joined the party as a student in the late 1980s and was always very supportive of Labour Youth within the party. 

“Canvassing in Kildare with Emmet was a really positive experience — he was hugely popular in his community and consistently championed the needs of those facing inequality and disadvantage.

“Emmet's differences with the leadership were reconciled in the 1990s and Emmet went on to serve as Minister of State for the Environment and later as Minister of State for Transport, Energy and Communications from 1994 to 1997.

“In the Dáil he was a frontbench spokesperson on a variety of areas, and often deployed his knowledge as a medical technologist in debates on health. Most recently he served as Labour Chief Whip from 2007 right up until 2016, and as Deputy Government Whip during the 2011 to 2016 government.

“Emmet was a pillar of Labour politics, both in Leinster House, and in Kildare, and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him. 

He was kind and considerate, and maintained a keen interest in Labour politics even after leaving the Dáil.”

Ms Bacik said that outside of politics Mr Stagg had a keen interest in gardening and fishing, and "regaled us all over the years with many stories”.

"Our deepest sympathies are with Mary and his family at this time.”