Tributes paid to former Chief Justice

As a mark of respect to the late Chief Justice Mr Justice TF O'Higgins,the National Flag which flies over the Four Courts on each sitting day will be flown at half mast this Thursday, the day of his funeral.

Tributes have been paid in the Dáil to the former Minister and judge, whose death was announced this morning.

The Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said he was a statesman and a patriot, who had always shown a great and gentle spirit.

The Taoiseach said that in the 1966 Presidential election, Mr O'Higgins came close to causing the biggest political upset in Irish politics, by coming a close second to Eamon de Valera.

Mr Ahern added that his passing represented a symbolic turning of the page of Irish history from the 20th to the 21st Century.

Mr O'Higgins was a former Government Minister and Judge of the European Court. He was one of the most respected political and judicial figures both in Ireland and abroad.

He was first elected as a TD for Laois-Offaly in 1948 and served as Minister for Health from 1954 to 1957 in which period he established the Voluntary Health Insurance Board.

He was narrowly defeated as a Presidential candidate in 1966 and stood again in 1973. The following year he was appointed Chief Justice and in 1984 he was made a Judge of the European Court.

40 years of public service

Mr O'Higgins retired in 1991 after 40 years of public service.

He was the son of Dr Thomas F O'Higgins who was Minister for Defence from 1948 to 1951 and was nephew and godson of Kevin O'Higgins, Vice President of the Executive Council of the Free State.

Mr O'Higgins is survived by his wife Terry, seven children and 30 grandchildren.

The former Fine Gael leader, Dr Garret Fitzgerald, said Mr O'Higgins' humanity, warmth, humour and intelligence combined to make him a great public servant as a politician, lawyer, and in later years as a judge in Ireland and in Europe.

Dr FitzGerald said these qualities also shone through in his private life.

Funeral arrangements

The removal to St Patrick's Church in Monkstown will take place at 5pm tomorrow evening. The funeral will be held on Thursday morning at 11am and afterwards at Shanganagh cemetery.