On behalf of the Labour Party I wish to extend our best wishes to the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, for a full and early recovery from his current illness.

Brian Lenihan enjoys personal respect and admiration on all sides of the Dail and in his battle against this serious illness he will have the support of every member of the House.

The manner in which the condition was disclosed on St. Stephen’s Day can only have added to the stress of the Minister and his family, but Mr. Lenihan has dealt with this situation with characteristic dignity.

Brian Lenihan is a courageous and resilient individual and I have no doubt from his RTE interview today that he is determined to harness these qualities over the coming months in fighting this condition.

Out thoughts will be with Brian and his wife and children over the coming months.