President Michael D Higgins has led tributes to the former RTÉ broadcaster and correspondent David Davin-Power, who has died at the age of 72.
In a statement, President Higgins said "It is with great sadness that people all across the country will have learned of the death of David Davin-Power."
"A consummate broadcaster and communicator, David Davin-Power was a regular presence in the lives of so many people either over the airwaves or on television.
"David provided decades of incisive analysis across his roles in RTÉ in particular and was a trusted voice whether reporting on Northern Ireland or on the business of the Oireachtas," he said.
"He will be deeply missed by all who knew him, his colleagues in the media, across the Oireachtas and by the public who were so informed by his work," he added.
Mr Davin-Power began working for RTÉ News in 1978, with his broadcasting career starting in the 1980s.
He was part of the team that established the Morning Ireland radio programme in 1984 and would become a voice known at breakfast tables around the country as he presented the programme along with David Hanly.
In 1989 he left RTÉ to head up the newsroom at the new commercial radio station, Century Radio.
When Century closed in 1991, he returned to RTÉ and was appointed as Northern Editor.
His time in Belfast was marked by the emerging peace process and the reaching of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
On his return to Dublin, Mr Davin-Power turned his attention to Leinster House in 2001 where he worked as a political correspondent.
Known to many of his colleagues and contemporaries as 'DDP', he said that being an RTÉ political correspondent for 16 years had been a privilege, allowing him to be an eye witness to many amazing events.
Following his retirement, Mr Davin-Power worked as a columnist with The Times Ireland Edition, as well as appearing on RTÉ, Newstalk, and Virgin Media as a commentator.
'Knew the Dáil inside-out'
Taoiseach Simon Harris said: "As a journalist and broadcaster, David was a trusted name who was welcomed into homes across the country throughout his long career."
Mr Harris said that Mr Davin-Power "knew the Dáil inside-out, and in recent years, a witty and insightful columnist".
"David was always a consummate professional, a thorough journalist, and a gentleman. He was a storyteller who was generous with his time, he was an interesting person who was interested in other people, and he was kind to those around him."
Tánaiste Micheál Martin said that Mr Davin-Power had dedicated himself to public service broadcasting and that "over four decades, David covered many of the stories that shaped modern Ireland".
"David was thorough and razor sharp in his questioning and analysis, but fair. He was always driven to get to the bottom of every story he worked on.
"He had an outstanding ability to explain even the most complicated of stories, making the news accessible to all. His contribution to journalism was immense," Mr Martin said.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said that Mr Davin-Power was "an influential journalist and broadcaster who covered important events in modern times, including the early days of the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement."
In a post on X, Ms McDonald wrote: "He had a long and impactful career. My deepest condolences to his family, friends, his RTÉ colleagues, and all who loved him."
Kevin Bakhurst, Director General of RTÉ said: "DDP possessed one of the most incisive political brains at RTÉ and indeed in Ireland. For many years, he was familiar to audiences, colleagues and politicians as insightful, eloquent and scrupulously fair. Off-screen, he was also funny, a great storyteller and was hugely loyal to colleagues, friends and to RTÉ itself.
"More than all of that, he loved his family and spoke of them with huge pride and joy. When I saw him in the summer he was already very ill but was on great form - wanting to talk politics: Irish, UK, US and of course RTÉ. Always with a glint in his eye, some mischief and his memorable laugh. We will all miss him hugely."
Paying tribute to RTÉ's former Northern Editor and Political Correspondent, Deirdre McCarthy, Managing Director, News and Current Affairs said, "David was one of the most recognisable and trusted faces of Irish journalism for many decades.
"He was one of the first presenters on Morning Ireland, but he was also an outstanding political journalist as Northern Editor at a momentous time in this island's political history, with the emerging peace process and the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, he went on to become one of the most respected political correspondents at Leinster House," she added.
She said she had had the privilege of working with him for many years.
"He had the ability to navigate and to analyse the political story of the day with incredible rigour and clarity and as well as the sharp intellect and in-depth political knowledge. He was a brilliant storyteller and trusted by audiences
"On a personal level, he was a gentleman and very kind. He was a great colleague and mentor to so many of us in the newsroom, and he will be sorely missed by all his colleagues," she said.
Retirement from RTÉ
Retired RTÉ journalist, Bryan Dobson, said Mr Davin-Power would not have retired from RTÉ at age 65 if he had not had to, which he recalled him describing as "redundancy by age," and that he would have "very happily gone on."
He said the death of his former colleague and friend was "shocking news to hear" and "very sad".
Mr Dobson said he would remember him "first of all as a great friend," and also described him as a "really consummate broadcaster".
He said his thoughts and prayers were with Mr Davin-Power's family.
He said Mr Davin-Power had brought "the art" of broadcast journalism to its "highest possible level".
"His ability to make sometimes very complex stories immediately understandable in the way of just distilling down to the essence of a news story, of honing in on what really mattered," Mr Dobson said.
"And I think particularly his analysis night after night on the news whether outside the talks up in Belfast at Stormont or whether at Leinster House.
"That was one of the aspects of his broadcasting that I particularly appreciated at the time as a presenter, and that I will remember," he said.
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