Dermot Hamilton: Dermot Hamilton, who has died aged 48, was general secretary of the Green Party/Comhaontas Glas.
He was known for his calm assured manner, organisational skills and attention to detail, which together with his good humour were qualities that served him well in the hurly-burly of politics.
Born on February 24th, 1957, he was the youngest of the six children of Bill and Frances Hamilton, Glencloy Road, Whitehall, Dublin. He attended Larkhill National School, Whitehall, went on to Plunkett College, Swords Road, and from there to Bolton Street College of Technology.
He joined Dataproducts, Coolock, in 1975 where he worked for 20 years. His rise through the ranks was no surprise to colleagues. He moved from the draughtsman's office, where he specialised in fount design, into management. It was here that he became involved in communications, specialising in software localisation, adapting products to the needs of specific cultures and/or locales.
Finding himself at the centre of an information technology revolution, he quickly embraced the new order. He also found time to acquire a diploma in industrial management.
From a Fianna Fáil family background, he joined the Thomas Davis Cumann of Ógra Fianna Fáil in 1981. However, the political climate of the early 1980s was marked by rising unemployment and a general air of political instability. Disillusioned and seeking a new political home, he was eventually persuaded by his brother-in-law, Green Party veteran Tommy Simpson, to become a card-carrying member of the Greens.
In the local elections of 1991 he stood as the party's candidate for the five-seat Drumcondra-Whitehall ward, narrowly missing out on a city council seat. Elected to the national executive of the party, he was elected national co-ordinator in 1994.
Following a three-year stint working for AutoDesk in Switzerland, he returned to Ireland to take up a position with Bowen Global Solutions. He next joined St Michael's House as a quality control consultant before being appointed Green Party general secretary last February.
He had been contemplating a career change for some time and wanted to move from business development into community-based work. While considering his options he paid a visit to his friend, Green Party leader Trevor Sargent TD.
"Dermot and I had a long chat about his decision to make a career change. Quite simply he wanted to put something back into his community. That the Green Party was to be rewarded with Dermot's experience and professionalism was like a son returning to the fold. Dermot had been part and parcel of so many successful campaigns with Dublin North and the Fingal Greens that his appointment in February as general secretary was a natural progression for all of us."
In this position, Mr Sargent said, "his dedication brought us to a higher level of organisation than ever before. He was extremely popular among staff and party members."
Dermot Hamilton is survived by his wife Patricia (née Jordan), daughter Kelly, brothers Frank, Brian and Chris, and sisters Brida and Ita.
Dermot Anthony Hamilton: born February 24th, 1957; died September 23rd, 2005