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.

Bruton's Government (December 1994 - June 1997)

• An Taoiseach: John Bruton
• An Tánaiste: Dick Spring
• Minister for Finance: Ruairí Quinn
• Minister for Foreign Affairs: Dick Spring
• Minister for Enterprise & Employment: Richard Bruton
• Minister for Justice: Nora Owen
• Minister for Equality & Law Reform: Mervyn Taylor
• Minister for Agriculture, Food & Forestry: Ivan Yates
• Minister for Defence & the Marine: Hugh Coveney
• Minister for Education: Niamh Bhreathnach
• Minister for the Environment: Brendan Howlin
• Minister for Health: Michael Noonan
• Minister for Transport, Energy & Communications: Michael Lowry
• Minister for Social Welfare: Proinsias De Rossa
• Minister for Tourism & Trade: Enda Kenny
• Minister for Arts, Culture & the Gaeltacht: Michael D. Higgins

Changes

• May 23, 1995: Hugh Coveney resigns as Minister for Defence & the Marine. He is replaced by Seán Barret who joins the Cabinet.
• November 30, 1996: Michael Lowry resigns as Minister for Transport, Energy & Communications. John Bruton takes on the portfolio until a successor is announced.
• December 3: Alan Dukes joins the government as the Minister for Transport, Energy & Communications.