John Bruton

John Gerard Bruton (born May 18, 1947) was the ninth Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland. He was a senior Irish politician who served in the cabinet of Garret FitzGerald as Minister for Finance (1981-1982 and 1986-1987), Minister for Industry & Energy (1982-1983) and Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism (1983-1986). He became leader of Fine Gael in 1990 and served as Taoiseach from 1994 until 1997, leading the Rainbow Coalition government of Fine Gael-Labour-Democratic Left.

As Taoiseach (1994-1997)

Bruton's politics was markedly different to most Irish leaders. Whereas most leaders had come from or identified with the independence movement Sinn Féin (in its 1917-22 phase), Bruton identified more with the more moderate Irish Parliamentary Party tradition that Sinn Féin had eclipsed in the 1918 general election. He hung a picture of his political hero, the IIP's leader John Redmond on a wall in his office as taoiseach, in preference to other figures like Patrick Pearse. But as evidence of Bruton's complexity, he also kept a picture of former Fianna Fáil Taoiseach Sean Lemass which had been hung there by Reynolds, and which Bruton kept because he like most political scientists saw Lemass as perhaps the best and most reforming Taoiseach in the history of the state.

Related Topics:
Sinn Féin - Irish Parliamentary Party - 1918 general election - John Redmond - Patrick Pearse - Sean Lemass

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Bruton's Rainbow Coalition was generally perceived to be a good government, with Bruton, who was initially the most unpopular of modern political leaders and whom was meant to have had a bad relationship with Spring, being seen as its star performer. His popularity soared while he and Spring (along with Proinsias de Rossa, leader of DL) were seen as an effective team. His government ensured the passage of a constitutional amendment to allow for the introduction of divorce. Bruton also presided over the first official visit by a member of the British Royal Family, the Prince of Wales since 1912, though Bruton's comments (which were seen as "too friendly" by anti-British elements in the country) during the visit overshadowed it somewhat.

Related Topics:
British Royal Family - Prince of Wales - 1912

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Continued developments in the Northern Ireland peace process and his attitude to Anglo-Irish relations came to define Bruton's tenure as Taoiseach. In February 1995 he launched the Anglo-Irish ?Framework Document? with the British Prime Minister, John Major. This document outlined new proposed relations between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Many of Bruton's opponents considered him to be too willing to accommodate unionist demands (in one famous Freudian slip, Albert Reynolds referred to him as "John Unionist"). However, he took a strongly critical position on British prevarication during the IRA ceasefire over all-party talks on the future of the North. By April 1995, he told a reporter he was "sick of answering questions about the fucking peace process".

Related Topics:
Northern Ireland - 1995 - British Prime Minister - John Major - Republic - Unionist - Freudian slip - IRA - Peace process

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Bruton also established a working relationship with Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin, however, the relationship became frayed following the ending of the ceasefire in 1996, resulting in a bomb explosion in London. These relations worsened when the IRA killed Gerry McCabe, a member of the Gardaí, in a post office robbery in County Limerick, and another bomb explosion in Manchester. Bruton resisted advice to end all talks with Sinn Féin, however, he did become one of their most vocal critics and advocated another IRA ceasefire before Sinn Féin would be allowed join all-party talks. Bruton received widespread praise in the Republic for condemning the Royal Ulster Constabulary for yielding to loyalist threats at Drumcree by allowing members of the Orange Order march through a Catholic district, and for being neither impartial nor consistent in applying the law. His outrage and criticism led to a tense atmosphere regarding relations between London and Dublin.

Related Topics:
Gerry Adams - Sinn Féin - 1996 - London - Gerry McCabe - Gardaí - County Limerick - Manchester - Royal Ulster Constabulary - Loyalist - Drumcree - Orange Order - Catholic - Dublin

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Bruton came to power at a time when Ireland's economy was achieving substantial growth. With the Celtic Tiger in its infancy the standard of living increased dramatically. Constitutional reform was also on the government's agenda when a referendum to abolish the prohibition on divorce was passed by a narrow majority. The government was not void of scandal. In 1996 his Minister for Transport, Michael Lowry, resigned from the Cabinet after allegations that he accepted payments from the supermarket tycoon, Ben Dunne. The scandal initially threatened Bruton, however it was Fianna Fáil that eventually fell foul when the tribunals were set up.

Related Topics:
Celtic Tiger - 1996 - Michael Lowry - Ben Dunne - Fianna Fáil

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