Jim Gibbons (Irish politician)

James "Jim" Gibbons (1924 - 1997) was a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was first elected in 1957 as a Teachta Dála (Member of Parliament) for Carlow-Kilkenny. He held his seat until 1982. Gibbons also served as Minister for Defence (1969-1970) and Minister for Agriculture (1970-1973 and 1977-1979).

Related Topics:
1924 - 1997 - Fianna Fáil - 1957 - Teachta Dála - Carlow-Kilkenny - 1982

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Jim Gibbons was born in County Kilkenny in 1924. He came from a family that had a strong Fianna Fáil background, with Gibbons joining the party in his youth. He entered local politics in 1954 when he was elected to Kikenny County Council, an authority that he served on until 1967. Gibbons was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD for the first time at the 1957 General Election. Following Seán Lemass's re-election as Taoiseach in 1965, Gibbons was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance, Jack Lynch.

Related Topics:
County Kilkenny - Fianna Fáil - 1954 - Kikenny County Council - 1967 - Dáil Éireann - TD - 1957 General Election - Seán Lemass - Taoiseach - 1965 - Parliamentary Secretary - Minister for Finance - Jack Lynch

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Four years later in 1969 Lynch was Taoiseach and Gibbons joined the Cabinet as Minister for Defence. In 1970 the Arms Crisis broke when Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney were sacked by Lynch as he believed they were involved in a plot to import arms into Northern Ireland. At the subsequent Arms Trial Gibbons would be the chief prosecutorial witness and his evidence would contradict Haughey's. Haughey was found not guilty, therefore Gibbons was alleged to have been the dishonest one, an allegation that affected him deeply. Years later when Haughey returned to the Fianna Fáil front bench Gibbons hoped for a 'rapprochment' with Haughey. This never happened. Following the whole episode Gibbons was appointed Minister for Agriculture. In his new role Gibbons played a key role in the agricultural negotiations concerning entry into the European Economic Community and in the amalgamation of creameries in the country.

Related Topics:
1969 - 1970 - Arms Crisis - Charles Haughey - Neil Blaney - Northern Ireland - Fianna Fáil - European Economic Community

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A general election victory for Fianna Fáil in 1979 saw Haughey and Gibbons back in the Cabinet together. In 1979 Gibbons voted against a "Family Planning Bill" introduced by Haughey that legalised the sale of contraceptives. He was the first Minister in the history of the state to do this yet the Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, took no action against him. In December of that year Haughey replaced Lynch as Fianna Fáil leader and Taoiseach. Subsequently Gibbons lost his place at Cabinet.

Related Topics:
Fianna Fáil - 1979 - Taoiseach - Jack Lynch

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After he lost his seat at the 1981 General Election he called for a change of leadership within the party. He regained his seat at the February 1982 General Election and voted against Haughey in the leadership challenge that was proposed by Charlie McCreevy. Leaving the Dáil after the vote he was attacked by a number of drunken Fianna Fáil supporters and forced to the ground. A friend of his saw off the attackers. In the aftermath, new swivel doors were erected to prevent mobs pushing their way into the parliament building. The incident is recounted by Desmond O'Malley in the RTÉ documentary series Seven Ages, although O'Malley does not mention Gibbons by name. After his death over a decade later, Gibbons' son revealed that his father had never fully recovered from the physical assault on him.

Related Topics:
1981 General Election - February 1982 General Election - Charlie McCreevy - Desmond O'Malley - RTÉ - Seven Ages

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A few weeks after this he suffered a heart attack and was unable to vote for Haughey later that year in a no-confidence motion at which point the government fell. He lost his seat at the November 1982 General Election and retired from politics. He suffered from ill health during the last years of his life and suffered a number of heart attacks and strokes.

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Jim Gibbons died on the December 20, 1997 aged 73.

Related Topics:
December 20 - 1997

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