EUROPEAN TRIBUTES:SENIOR EUROPEAN figures paid tribute to Brian Lenihan, praising his courage in the face of serious illness as he battled the economic crisis.
Luxembourg’s prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker, who is president of the group of euro zone finance ministers, said he was deeply saddened to hear of his death.
“Brian was an outstanding minister of finance who impressed all his colleagues in the EU with his energy and dedication to overcome the financial and economic crisis that hit Ireland so hard,” Mr Juncker said.
Mr Juncker said he would remember Mr Lenihan as a man with solid convictions and as a valiant supporter of European integration, and he would miss his expertise, good advice and great sense of humour.
EU economic and monetary affairs commissioner Olli Rehn said: “Brian’s extraordinary personal and professional contribution has ensured that he is and will always be held in the highest esteem by those of us who worked with him in Europe.”
Mr Lenihan provided an outstanding example of public service by placing his duty to the nation above his personal difficulties, Mr Rehn continued.
Ireland’s EU commissioner, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, said Mr Lenihan was a beacon in Irish life.
“His personal courage in the face of devastating health news while coping with very difficult economic news was exemplary. He never let up. He never let go. His commitment was total.”
Ms Geoghegan-Quinn said his impact on people in Europe was exemplified by the fact that he was the only minister universally referred to by European Commission members by his first name, she said. ‘‘Not by his title. Not by his full name. Everybody who talked about Ireland talked about Brian, knowing that everybody present immediately knew him in that casually intimate way.”
French finance minister Christine Lagarde said she was “profoundly sad” to learn “of the passing away of my former colleague, and more so my friend, Brian”.