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Updated at 11.47pm
NORMAL BUSINESS WAS suspended in the Dáil this afternoon, as political leaders paid tribute to Fine Gael TD Nicky McFadden.
The Longford-Westmeath deputy’s death, aged 51, follows a long battle with Motor Neurone disease. She was diagnosed with the condition in mid-2012, but made a decision to stay on and continue serving her constituents.
“I think I speak for everyone when I say that we are devastated by the suffering and the passing of Nicky McFadden,” Taoiseach Enda Kenny said of the TD — who served as a councillor and senator, before being elected to the Chamber in the February 2011 General Election.
We are uplifted by her courage and her insight into this journey, her ability to make some sense of the savage uncertainly of life as lived.I suppose that she passed away on the Feast of the Annunciation is somehow appropriate, because she begins her new life today free of the suffering that marked her last months on this Earth.
She brings her goodness with her to that place of life and light beyond the darkness.
He described McFadden as “a woman of great joy” and said;
“I know she’ll bring that joy with her to her new life and her new place. She’s gone before us, and I hope she’ll be there to meet us.
The Taoiseach became emotional as he described paying a visit to McFadden, on returning home from Brussels last Friday.
“This is a terribly debilitating ailment,” he said
I’d like to extend my sympathies to her children Caren and Eoin, and all her family.
[Oireactas.ie]
Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said he wished to join the Taoiseach in expressing “our deepest sympathy” to McFadden’s family.
He said the entire Dáil had been “shocked when we heard of Nicky’s illness” and spoke of members’ “sadness as her condition progressed”.
Gilmore described her as a “great colleague” and “somebody who brought a sense of joy to this house” who always had a positive outlook on life and on politics.
[Oireachtas.ie]
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the Longford-Westmeath TD had “represented the very best of commitment to public service in our country”.
He said she “always made a commitment to serve the public during her time as a councillor, senator and a member of the Dáil.”
Martin said she had borne “a very difficult condition very bravely” and described her passing as “a great loss to the Dáil and public life in general”.
‘A dreadful ailment’
Gerry Adams said that while he had not known McFadden that well, he had spoken to her several times since her diagnosis and that “it always struck me that she was very positive, very cheerful”.
“I didn’t think she was as ill as she was, because of her demeanour.”
He said Motor Neurone disease was “a dreadful ailment” and told TDs: “It might be a fitting tribute if we could resolve here to do something to get to the cause of this disease, and to research how it happens and how it can be dealt with.”
For the Technical Group, Independent TD Maureen O’Sullivan spoke of her time working in a Leinster House office next door to McFadden’s, and paid tribute to her as being a “determined” individual who would be remembered for her positive attitude.
Earlier this afternoon, McFadden’s Fine Gael constituency colleague James Bannon described McFadden as a “true lady” who was always committed to her constituents.
Áras Statement
In a statement, President Michael D. Higgins said Nicky McFadden had shown “immense courage in continuing her public service after having been diagnosed with a serious illness”.
He said she had made “an outstanding contribution” as a Senator and Deputy.
“All of our thoughts at this time are with her family, friends and constituents in Longford-Westmeath.”
First posted at 2.20pm.
Rest in Peace.
Can I also add, in a particular newspaper on the day after Brian Lenihan’s death in 2012, there was an entire column on by-election speculation which was really in poor taste.
So, I’d call on all newspapers who are planning to do the same thing tomorrow to instead allocate that space to MND Awareness and associations.
Well said Mark !
RIP
it’s an awful disease. hope her family are doing ok
How on earth could 11 people give thumbs down to the above comment?
Ignorant pathetic trolls red thumb just to piss ppl off.ignore at will.
Ignore the red thumb its sick idiots trying to wind people up
Easy, they’re sick in the head.
Always hate hearing about diseases like Motor Neurone. Clearly a very decent person if she was willing to work while suffering from it. May she RIP
RIP, having watched Celtics greatest ever player Jinky Johnstone battle & finally succumb to it, it’s a disease which shows no respect to age or physical abilities and can really cut people down in their prime.
Jason Becker, regarded as one of the best guitarists in the world when he was only 16. He was diagnosed with it when he was 20. Amazingly having been given 3 to 5 years to live then he is still alive at 44 now and writes music with his eyes. They are the only parts of his body he can still move and his father designed software allowing him to write music and communicate with just eye movements. Tremendous story but a terrible disease
Jimmy Johnstone was the only living person in history to have a Faberge Egg made in his honour.. Sarah Feberge after seeing a DVD showing Jimmy Johnstone’s struggle with MND made 19 off them to help with his treatment… She was studying in Glasgow at the time..
Still not being Hawkins though
R.I.P brave lady.
Terrible – I had no idea motor neurone disease could take someone so quickly.
RIP
Sadly it does Hakuin – I knew a woman who died a year after her diagnosis. She was also in her early 50s. So tragic when it happens – and I was only watching a documentary about the wonderful Colm Murray the other day. RIP.
I was surprised at the speed too, I know a few people with motor neurones and they have lived with it for decades.. I guess it’s all down to chance – one person it goes through them like a shortcut, while others slowly lose the use of everything..
Either way – terrible disease, my sincere sympathies go out to her family at this time.
Sad news for someone so young to succumb to this horrible disease.
Condolences to her family and friends.
A lovely lady,will be missed dearly as a local td,and family and relatives-god bless…xx
I’m assuming the red thumbs are for Fine Gael haters-regular people on here know my views on the dail and the muppets there in-but we get rare people in there who quietly do the job,without fanfare,brownie points and keep their head down…
Hi Shane,
As has been pointed out before, some of the red thumbs are because people are accidentally hitting them when they scroll down on their phone (I know I’ve done it once or twice).
However, I also suspect there are a few trolls out there… Strange people who get their kicks from red-thumbing not just sympathetic words about tragic politicians, but anywhere they see an ‘RIP’ on a comment.
Maybe The Journal could just disable red thumbs on articles such as these?
I’ll accept that could be the case-then I can live with that sentiment,humble pie,I’ll gladly accept with thumbs up and high fives…:-)…
There’s a few newspaper sites that have done away with the negative ticks altogether. Might be worth considering. Must be hurtful to the grieving relatives of this poor woman. I guess that’s their intention.
Sick in the head.
All I can say she was a very genuine lady , compassionate and full of integrity. Westmeath has lost a truly wonderful person. My thoughts are with her family and close friends. May she rest in peace.
Awful way for somebody to go :(
Very sad news. She was a lovely lady.
RIP
She used to be a receptionist in my doctor’s practice and that is where I would’ve known her, a very nice helpful lady. I may not have agreed with her politics but she remained friendly and approachable after her election. A devastating disease. RIP.
RIP and condolences to her family.
Motor Neuron is an awful disease as I witnessed it myself when my grandmother was diagnosed 13 years ago, she was told she would not make it past 5 years but she kept going like a trooper and always tried to stay positive. Unfortunately she passed away last October from lung cancer which was only diagnosed 3 weeks before she died but it was highly aggressive as motor neuron had broken her down so much.
However I have noticed that the younger the disease is diagnosed the more aggressive it is to a person and they often do die quite young. The Irish Motor Neuron Disease Association (IMNDA) do great work for families and for those who are suffering and hopefully they can begin to benefit from the large number of charity donations which are being made all over social media as it has been great for cancer awareness!!
My father was diagnosed around 20th September 1993 and lost his fight on 21st June 1994, a terrible, terrible disease. RIP Nicky McFadden… Thoughts and prayers with your family and friends at this time.
Terrible disease. So sad RIP
Thank you for being a great servent on behalf of your constituants and your contributions in public life.
R.I.P.
Puts everything else in perspective. RIP
Hard working, friendly, dedicated lady ….always wanted to do what was best. May she rest in peace.
Why all the red thumbs after most of the comments?someone has died ffs of a horrible disease. RIP
Just wondering the same thing Shane. Why are people disapproving of condolence messages. Weird..!!
I always wonder. But I’ll give people the benefit of the doubt by assuming they’re using a smart phone and hitting the red thumb by accident when scrolling.
Politics do not belong in these comments, shame on people who will bring it up here. A husband and two children are now mourning their loss of a wife and mother.
Unfortunately politics is killing good people every day the old the sick the disabled have all been viciously attacked by this lady’s traitor party. Very few will forgive or condone their greed or corruption. I can well see how people are negative towards traitors.
There’s a time and a place, this is neither.
Katie Did Next
How can people mourn for this woman while ignoring all the protracted miserable deaths and quality of life endured by so many because of the cuts made by her FG party colleagues and many other politicians in FF and Labour.
Is she better than all the other citizens of the state? Don’t other’s mourn and miss their lost loved ones?!
They cry for their own and cause death for others.
Can happen to anyone. A disease like this knows not the boundaries of social class or status. Condolences to her family.
A beautiful woman and politician. Very hardworking and approachable. She will be missed. Deepest sympathies to Nicky’s family, especially Gabrielle. RIP.
RIP. Heart goes out to her family.
RIP
Horrendous disease and is so aggressive.. RIP
RIP.
RIP. Thoughts with her family.
Horrible for her family. She’s still very young..RIP.
r.i.p sad news
Such a horrible disease, and yet another person taken well before their time. May she rest in peace.
So sad, rest in peace Nicky.
Love my uncle to this horrible disease in 1992 poor woman may she rest in peace xxxxx
Oh god meant I lost my uncle!!
Geraldine, we know what you meant to type. Easy to hit a wrong button. Don’t worry. Very sad that he passed in this way, and that Deputy McFadden also succumbed to this awful disease. Personal politics matter not in cases like this. RIP to this lady, and condolences to her family.
Very sad news, rest in peace
RIP .. Gone so young!!
Rest in peace.
Awful disease. To think that if it was a few decades in the future it would probably be cured
Not sure I’d say she had a “long” battle with MND. She was only diagnosed in December 2012. Nevertheless, seems like an awful condition to develop with a very poor prognosis and her family have my full sympathies.
A really nice lady, but the sad part of all this is there are lots of people in this country suffering with MS, Parkinson’s and MN, and kenny sees it first hand with one of his own and pretends to care while still cutting allowances for the disabled, May she rest in peace
Emotional ?? This man is incapable of it. It didn’t seem sincere to me. A horrible disease. She was a brave woman. May she rest in peace.
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