POLITICIANS, public servants and representatives from a wide spectrum of Irish education have paid tribute to Ms Christina Murphy, duty editor of The Irish Times, who died yesterday.
The President, Mrs Robinson, said she was "very saddened" by Ms Murphy's death and had sent a personal message of sympathy to her husband, Mr Dermot Mullane.
The Minister for Education, Ms Breathnach, extended her deepest sympathy to Ms Murphy's husband, their son Eric, and her family, friends and colleagues in The Irish Times.
"The consumer of education in Ireland has lost a real friend," said Ms Breathnach. "Christina passionately believed that the education system was for all."
Mr Michell Martin, the Fianna Fail spokesman on education, said Ms Murphy performed outstanding public service and her death was "an irreplaceable loss" to Irish journalism. Ms Helen Keogh, Progressive Democrats spokeswoman on education, said she would be missed by students, to whom she provided such clear information and advice.
Former ministers also paid tribute to Ms Murphy. Ms Mary O'Rourke, the Fianna Fail Minister for Education from 1987-91, remembered a woman of intelligence, courage, optimism and generosity of spirit. "She gave of herself so much to young people and parents," said Ms O'Rourke.
"I think there are thousands and thousands of young people who are in the right careers today because Christina advised them correctly," said Mr Seamus Brennan of Fianna Fail, who was minister from 1992-93.
Mr Joe O'Toole, the general secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, called her a "mould breaker" and said her legacy had been to drag education into the mainstream of national news and reportage.
Mr Charlie Lennon, the general secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland, said Ms Murphy's passing would cause a major vacuum in Irish journalism. "Through her commitment and expertise she ensured transparency in the Irish education system before such a priority was popularly identified," he said. "We will always remember her fondly," said Mr Jim Dorney, the general secretary of the Teachers' Union of Ireland. "She was foremost in reporting the controversy over the community school deeds in the 1970s, the education cuts in the 1980s and, latterly, the intricacies of the points system."
Mr Nick Killian, the spokesman for the National Parents' Council (Post Primary), paid tribute to Murphy for bringing education to the forefront of public life". Father John Dunne, the president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, said she was "fearless in questioning anomalies in the education system and had helped clear up many of them.
Mr Joe Rooney, the general secretary of the Irish Vocational Education Association, said she was a total professional who would be "very much missed and a great loss to the Irish education family".
The Provost of Trinity College Dublin, Dr Thomas Mitchell, described her as "courageous and talented. The world of education owes her a great deal."
The registrar of University College Galway, Professor Matthew McCarthy, said she brought "a limitless energy and enthusiasm to her coverage of the full range of education issues".
Senator Joe Lee of University College Cork said she demystified the Irish higher education system for a great many young people and their parents.
Mr Malcolm Byrne, the education officer of the Union of Students in Ireland, credited Ms Murphy with helping "hundreds of thousands of students and parents through the maze of third level education".
"The parents of the country have lost a great champion," said Mr John McAvoy, the manager of the Central Applications Office in Galway. "I have lost a very dear friend."