Taoiseach Micheál Martin has paid tributed to former Fianna Fáil MEP, Brian Crowley, who has died at the age of 61.
Cowley was an “impactful legislator in the European Parliament”, the Taoiseach said, “and was extremely popular with parliamentarians and officials throughout the European Union.”
Nominated to Seanad Éireann in 1993, a year later he fought in the European Parliament elections and became an MEP for the then Munster constituency.
He was to serve in the European Parliament for 25 years before standing down due to ill health in 2019.
In later years, he was criticised for his poor attendance record, rarely seen in Brussels or Strasbourg during his last term.
But although speeches in the parliamentary chamber were increasingly rare, he continued to make written contributions including asking questions to the European Commission on behalf of his constituents on issues ranging from mortgages to food security.
In 2008, he told the Irish Times that he would like to run for President of Ireland, but a campaign did not materialise and he remained an MEP for another decade.
During his last term, he lost the Fianna Fáil party whip for leaving the centre-right EPP group and joining the European Conservatives and Reformists group, then led by the British Conservative party.
He decided not to stand in the 2019 European elections.
“Brian was deeply committed to his community and his country”, said Micheál Martin
“”Paralysed by an accident when he was 16, Brian demonstrated incredible personal resilience and strength of character.”