The death has taken place of Mr T.J. Maher, the former farmers' leader and MEP.
The tributes to Mr Maher, who died in St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, following a short illness, were led by the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, who said Mr Maher had left an indelible mark on Irish agriculture.
He said he was a most able farm leader, who had a strong, independent mind and had done much to lead rural Ireland into the changes brought about by EU membership.
Born into a family of seven in Boherlahan, Cashel, Co Tipperary, in 1922, he was reared on a 10-acre farm. He took over the family farm in 1948, and that year joined Macra na Feirme. In May 1967 he became deputy president of the National Farmers' Association, where he had a high profile because of his involvement in a sit-down protest at Government Buildings the previous year.
His involvement in farm politics deepened, and by August 1967 he became the third president of the National Farmers' Association, succeeding Mr Rickard Deasy.
When re-elected president of the NFA in 1970, he presided over a radical change in the organisation. The NFA began to incorporate the Beet and Vegetable Growers' Association, the Leinster Milk Suppliers and the Cork District Milk Producers.
In 1970-1971, the NFA became the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) and Mr Maher became its first president. He was also conducting major negotiations on the run-up to Ireland's entry to the EEC, now the EU.
In 1974 he was again elected unopposed as president of the IFA. He was deeply involved in the Irish co-operative movement and served six terms as president of the Irish Co-operative Organisation.
He also served as chairman of Bord Báinne, and he has served on the boards of B&I and the Irish Sugar Company.
Mr Maher, who was a very articulate speaker, entered mainline politics in 1979, heading the poll in the European elections. He served in the European Parliament for 15 years. He was a member of the Liberal and Democratic group in the Parliament.
He was a strong supporter of the Irish farm charity Bóthar, which has sent thousands of animals from Irish farms to Third World countries to help develop agricultural infrastructure.
He was less successful in national politics, and was an unsuccessful candidate in his native constituency of South Tipperary in the 1981 general election.
Fine Gael's spokesman on agriculture, Mr Alan Dukes, praised Mr Maher's intelligence.
He said his popularity with the farming community had cost Mr Dukes a seat in the European Parliament in 1979. "He stood as an independent to have the freedom to follow his own convictions."
Expressing his sympathy to Mr Maher's widow, Elizabeth, and their three children, the IFA president, Mr John Dillon, said Mr Maher had made a huge contribution to the progress and development of Irish farmers. "His work earned wide respect both in agriculture and throughout Irish society as a dedicated leader of the farming community."
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association said last night it "saluted T.J. Maher's substantial achievement and leadership", which extended over 40 years.
Mr Maher's remains will be removed from St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, at 2.30 p.m. today to Boherlahan church, where burial will take place after Requiem Mass at 11 a.m. tomorrow.