Members of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food yesterday paid tribute to their former chairman, Mr John Ellis, who resigned on Tuesday.
The vice-chairman, Independent TD Mr Harry Blaney, told a meeting of the committee that Mr Ellis did a lot of work during his time as chairman for the agriculture sector.
"We will all be sorry to see him go" Mr Blaney said. "No one likes to see anyone lose his position."
The meeting had been scheduled to deal with the Fine Gael motion of no confidence in Mr Ellis's chairmanship.
Fianna Fail Senator Mr Rory Kiely was unhappy with the manner in which Mr Ellis was pushed from the job. "I am disappointed not that he resigned, but the way he was pushed to resign."
The Fianna Fail whip on the committee, Mr John Brady, described Mr Ellis as an honest and decent man who was a great ambassador for Ireland.
Wexford Fianna Fail TD Mr John Browne, who last week criticised the Minister of State, Ms Liz O'Donnell, for calling on Mr Ellis to consider his position, said the former chairman was always very fair.
A former Fine Gael minister and Independent TD, Mr Michael Lowry, sympathised with Mr Ellis and his family, saying he had gone through a similar situation himself.
"I do hope the issue of outstanding payments is resolved but I believe it has to be depoliticised. This has to be sorted outside of the media glare," he said.
The Fine Gael agriculture spokesman, Mr Paul Connaughton, said Mr Ellis was an "excellent" chairman. Fine Gael TD Mr Michael Finucane said it was a pity Mr Ellis did not listen to the advice of himself and Mr Connaughton three weeks ago when they asked him privately to step down.
Mr Blaney said a meeting to vote in a new chairman would be held within two weeks.