Albert Reynolds
Encyclopedia
Albert Reynolds served as Taoiseach
(prime minister) of Ireland
, serving one term in office from 1992 until 1994. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
. He was the fifth leader of Fianna Fáil
during the same period.
Reynolds was first elected to Dáil Éireann
as a TD
for Longford–Westmeath in 1977, and was re-elected at each election until his retirement in 2002. He previously served as Minister for Finance
(1988–91), Minister for Industry and Commerce
(1987–1988), Minister for Industry and Energy
(1982), Minister for Transport
(1980–81) and Minister for Posts and Telegraphs
(1979–81).
, County Roscommon
on 4 November 1932. He was educated at Summerhill College
in County Sligo, and found work as a clerk in the 1950s with Córas Iompair Éireann
(CIÉ), the state transport service. Reynolds left what many would consider to be a "job for life" in the state company and moved into the showband scene, owning a number of dance halls in his local area. He became wealthy from this venture during the 1960s when dance halls proved extremely popular and invested his money in a number of businesses including a pet food company, a bacon factory, a fish exporting operation and hire purchase company. Reynolds also had business interests in local newspapers and a cinema. Although his dance hall empire required late nights Reynolds was a traditional family man and had a happy home with his wife Kathleen and their seven children. Reynolds abstained from alcohol. He developed a network of business contacts both nationally and internationally.
in 1970, a hugely controversial episode in modern Irish history which saw two Cabinet ministers, Neil Blaney
and Charles Haughey
, sacked from the government over an alleged attempt to import arms to Northern Ireland
. The two men were subsequently acquitted in court but Reynolds then decided to embark on a political career. Reynolds stood as a Fianna Fáil
candidate at the 1977 general election
for the Longford–Westmeath constituency. The election was a landslide victory for Fianna Fáil, with the party receiving a twenty-seat parliamentary majority. Reynolds was just one of a number of TDs elected to Dáil Éireann
on that day, however, at 44 years of age Reynolds was considered a late starter.
Reynolds remained a backbencher until 1979. In that year pressure was mounting on the Taoiseach
and Fianna Fáil leader Jack Lynch
to step down. He became a member of the so-called "gang of five" with Jackie Fahey
, Mark Killilea, Jnr
, Tom McEllistrim and Seán Doherty which aligned itself to Charles Haughey
and supported him in the subsequent leadership contest
. Reynolds' affable personality helped him to coax a number of backbenchers into supporting Haughey, who went on to beat George Colley
in the leadership struggle and become Taoiseach. Reynolds was rewarded for his staunch loyalty by joining the government as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs
. He took on the Minister for Transport
portfolio in 1980, making his brief one of the largest and most wide-ranging in the government. As Minister for Transport Reynolds was involved in a bizarre incident in which an Aer Lingus
plane was hi-jacked with the chief demand for the safe return of the aircraft and its passengers being the revealing of the religious secret, the Third Secret of Fatima. The incident was resolved in Paris
with no injuries.
Fianna Fáil lost power in 1981 but regained it again in 1982. Reynolds returned to government as Minister for Industry and Energy
. That government fell in late 1982 and Reynolds was back on the opposition benches. During the 1982–83 period the Fianna Fáil leader, Charles Haughey
, faced three motions of no-confidence. Reynolds gave him his support at all times and Haughey survived, defeating his opponents and critics within the party.
In 1987 Fianna Fáil returned to government and Reynolds was appointed Minister for Industry and Commerce
, one of the most senior positions in the cabinet. The position seemed even more important as the government's top priority at this time was economic recovery. In 1988 the Minister for Finance
, Ray MacSharry
, became Ireland's European Commissioner
. Reynolds succeeded MacSharry in the most important department in the government.
The 1989 general election
resulted in Fianna Fáil
taking the unprecedented move of entering into a coalition government with the Progressive Democrats
. Reynolds headed the Fianna Fáil negotiation team along with another Minister, Bertie Ahern
. A programme for government was finally agreed, almost a month after the general election, and Reynolds returned as Minister for Finance in a coalition government that he described as a "temporary little arrangement."
The failure to get the Fianna Fáil candidate, Brian Lenihan, elected as President of Ireland
added to the pressure on Haughey's leadership. In a speech in County Cork
, Reynolds announced that if a vacancy arose in the position of party leader he would contest it. This was a clear and open revolt on Haughey's leadership. A number of TDs, including some members of the cabinet also began to grow disillusioned with Haughey and they began to look for a successor. Reynolds was the most popular and his profile was enhanced by his so-called "Country & Western" group of TDs who began to agitate within the party on his behalf. In November 1991 a relatively unknown rural TD, Seán Power, put down a motion of no confidence
in Haughey. Reynolds and his staunchest of supporters, Pádraig Flynn
, announced their support for the motion and were immediately sacked from the government. When the vote was taken the party re-affirmed its support in Haughey and it looked as if Reynolds political career was finished.
Haughey's victory was short-lived, as a series of political errors would lead to his demise as Taoiseach
. Controversy erupted over the attempted appointment of Jim McDaid
as Minister for Defence, which saw him resign from the post before he had been officially installed. Worse was to follow when Seán Doherty, the man who as Minister for Justice had taken the blame for the phone-tapping scandal of the early 1980s, went on RTÉ
television and said that Haughey had known and authorised the phone-tapping. Haughey denied this but the Progressive Democrats
members of the government stated that they could no longer continue in government with Haughey as Taoiseach. Haughey told Desmond O'Malley
, the PD leader, that he intended to retire shortly but wanted to choose his own time of departure. O'Malley agreed to this and the government continued.
On 30 January 1992 Haughey officially retired as leader of Fianna Fáil
at the parliamentary party meeting. He remained as Taoiseach
until 11 February when Albert Reynolds succeeded him having easily defeated Mary O'Rourke
and Michael Woods in the Fianna Fáil leadership election
.
and Gerry Collins, were instantly dismissed. These three ministers had been loyal to Haughey. Nine of the twelve junior ministers, many of whom were also Haughey loyalists, were also sacked. The ministers who were sacked along with Reynolds at the end of 1991 where all re-instated. Reynolds promoted several long running critics of Haughey, like David Andrews, Séamus Brennan
, and Charlie McCreevy
into senior ministerial positions. Reynolds also promoted a number of younger TDs from rural constituencies like Noel Dempsey
, and Brian Cowen
, to cabinet position. Bertie Ahern
, possibly one of Haughey's biggest supporters, remained as Minister for Finance due to his agreement with Reynolds not to challenge him for the leadership.
From Reynolds's first day as Taoiseach, he had to deal with the X Case
incident, which proved very divisive. Reynolds, a natural pragmatist tried to find a sensible middle ground position and seemed to alienate both the media and the Church. This was when the Attorney General
, Harry Whelehan
, refused to allow a 14-year old girl to travel to Britain
for an abortion. The incident strained relations between the government parties of Fianna Fáil
and the Progressive Democrats
. A referendum on abortion was eventually held, with the government suffering an embarrassing defeat on the third strand of the referendum which would make abortion illegal except when the life of the mother was in danger. The referendum and the wording of the constitutional change between the two government parties caused tensions, however, the government remained intact.
A tribunal of enquiry into irregularities in the beef industry, referred to as the "Beef Tribunal", was established to examine the "unhealthy" relationship between Charles Haughey
and the beef baron Larry Goodman. However this revealed to the public a substantial conflict of opinion between the two party leaders. At the tribunal Desmond O'Malley
severely criticised Reynolds, in his capacity as Minister for Industry and Commerce, for an export credit scheme. When Reynolds gave evidence he referred to O'Malley as "dishonest." This enraged the Progressive Democrats leader and the party voted against itself and Fianna Fáil, in a motion of no confidence and the government fell.
The election campaign was a disaster for Fianna Fáil. The world was in recession, Haughey was still in people's memories, and the Gulf War dominated international news. It certainly did not help to have Saddam Hussein
in the news, at the same time as the Beef Tribunal was discussing Reynolds' attempts to sell beef to the Iraqi regime. The fact that Reynolds seemed prepared to issue risky state funded export insurance, effectively subsidising the Goodman business empire which now accounted for 12% of national GDP, when the country was economically in deep trouble, caused great distrust in the electorate. Support for the party fell by 5%, and it was clear that the public sided with Reynolds over O'Malley, concerning the allegations made at the Tribunal. The Labour Party, under Dick Spring
were riding high in opinion polls and pursued a campaign independent of its traditional coalition partners Fine Gael
. Fianna Fáil
had received its worst election results since 1927. Fine Gael
lost 9 seats while the Labour Party had its best result with 33 seats. Eventually negotiations began to form another coalition government , the expected Fine Gael-Labour Coalition fell through after weeks of negotiations because of Spring's desire to be a rotating Taoisach with John Bruton of Fine Gael. A Fianna Fáil
–Labour Party
government came to power with Reynolds returning as Taoiseach and Dick Spring
of Labour becoming Tánaiste
.
One of Reynolds's main achievements during his term as Taoiseach was the advancement in the peace process regarding Northern Ireland
. Piecemeal negotiations had gone on during 1993 between Reynolds and the British Prime Minister
, John Major
. Reynolds had a very good relationship with Major. On 15 December 1993 the Joint Downing Street Declaration was signed in London
.
In September 1994 Reynolds was infamously stood up by Russian president Boris Yeltsin
whose plane landed at Shannon Airport
but who failed to emerge to meet the waiting Irish dignatories. The incident made headlines around the world as it was alleged that Yeltsin was too drunk to appear although a Russian official said that Yeltsin was unwell and Yeltsin himself later stated that he had overslept.
The agreement between the two governments was a high point for Reynolds, however the Government was soon to face more pressure. Reynolds' Minister of Finance, Bertie Ahern
, issued a tax amnesty for people who had outstanding tax bills unpaid and undeclared, provided they make some declaration of their previous income. This created considerable media disquiet, and Spring felt the need to respond. On 9 June 1994 Fianna Fáil lost two seats in the Mayo West by-election and the Dublin South Central by-election to the opposition Fine Gael
and Democratic Left
. This placed real pressure on Reynolds, as he could no longer depend on Spring to remain in government.
The report on the Beef Tribunal was published in July 1994, and Labour had threatened to leave the government if Reynolds was criticised. Reynolds claimed that report "fully vindicated" the policies and decisions of Reynolds as being in the State's interest . Reynolds was alleged to have juxtaposed and misquoted sections of the report in issuing a rebuttal before the report became public.
However, Spring was extremely annoyed that the report was not considered by the cabinet first. This caused tension between Reynolds and Spring.
Reynolds, however, remained involved in discussion with Northern nationalist parties. Eventually along with John Hume
, and Gerry Adams
did manage to induce the IRA
to call a complete ceasefire on 31 August 1994.
Reynolds had decided to re-appoint the Attorney General, Harry Whelehan, when the government had been formed in 1992. Spring had not objected at the time, despite the fact that Spring had serious reservations concerning Whelehan's devout Catholic faith. When the position of president of the High Court became available, Reynolds proposed Whelehan. At this stage there were allegations surfacing that Whelehan had been less than keen to prosecute a serial child abuser, Fr. Brendan Smyth, due to its implications on the accountability of certain prominent members of the Catholic Hierarchy. It was later revealed that Whelehan, in his capacity as Attorney General
, had mishandled an attempt to extradite Smyth to Northern Ireland, where he faced criminal charges. The fact that this was covered on the British television station, Channel 4
, when the Irish state broadcaster was mute, and Irish newspapers effectively talking around the issue, because of libel law, seemed to make it even more embarrassing for the country. Spring was trying to decide how to prevent the appointment, in the face of a strong commitment by Reynolds.
In this context, Spring led his ministers out of a cabinet meeting and mulled over the consequences and what the next step should be. The coalition looked finished, but Reynolds still held out for the chance to patch things up. Realising that his bluff had been called, Reynolds was forced to go before Dáil Éireann
and indicate that if he had known 'then' what he 'knew now' about the incompetent handling of the case by the AG's office he would not have appointed Whelehan to the judicial post. However Reynolds was damaged politically, having appeared more interested in holding on to power, at all costs. Spring decided that he could not go back into government with Reynolds. Subsequently the Labour Party
resigned from government. Reynolds realised that nothing could be done to save the government, and he resigned as Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil. He could have asked President Mary Robinson
to dissolve the Dáil and call new elections, though Robinson has since stated she would have refused such a request, thereby forcing Reynolds to resign.
On 19 December 1994 the Minister for Finance, Bertie Ahern
, was unanimously elected the sixth leader of Fianna Fáil. Reynolds's favoured successor, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
, withdrew from the leadership contest on the morning of the vote, and Reynolds returned to the opposition backbenches of Dáil Éireann
.. While it was initially thought that Ahern would become Taosieach and the coalition with Labour would be retained, Labour instead opted to go into coalition with Fine Gael. Fianna Fáil thus found themselves in opposition against the Rainbow Coalition
Reynolds greatest legacy was the de-escalation of the conflict in Northern Ireland
, from the nationalist side. Whereas both his predecessors had troubled relationships with British prime minister Margaret Thatcher
, Reynolds was more pragmatic in his dealings with the new British Prime Minister, John Major
. Reynolds also managed to negotiate considerable benefits from the European Union
regional aid budget, in the aftermath of Danish rejection, of the Maastricht Treaty
. Reynolds introduced a second tax amnesty, which allowed some tax evaders to get away with tax evasion and fraud, which provided some limited benefit to the national finances.
In November 2007, it was alleged at the Mahon Tribunal, that Reynolds, while on Government business in New York, collected a substantial sum of money for his Fianna Fáil
party, that did not get fully credited to the party. On the same trip, it emerged in the tribunal that Reynolds had the Government jet make an additional and unscheduled five hour stopover in the Bahamas.
and his support as a candidate for the presidential election. Fianna Fáil won the election, however, Ahern reneged on this promise to Reynolds due to poor election results in his constituency and the change in the political situation in Northern Ireland. However, Reynolds was still interested in being a candidate for the presidency, along with two other candidates, Michael O'Kennedy
and Mary McAleese
. In a meeting of ministers the Taoiseach
gave a typically ambiguous speech which seemed to encourage his Cabinet to support McAleese. Although Renyolds won the first round of voting with a comfortable margin, supporters of O'Kennedy backed McAleese. McAleese was successful and went on to become the eighth President of Ireland
. Reynolds was humiliated by Ahern and many of the ministers he had sacked when he came to power in 1992. He retired from politics at the 2002 general election
after 25 years as a TD
. Reynolds has said that I don't bear any grudges over Ahern.
Reynolds was involved in a long-running libel action taken against British newspaper The Sunday Times
on foot of an article published in 1994. It alleged that Reynolds had deliberately and dishonestly misled the Dáil regarding matters in connection with the Brendan Smyth affair that had brought down the coalition government. The newspaper claimed a defence of qualified privilege
with regard to these assertions on foot of their supposed benefit to the public, but a High Court
jury found in favour Reynolds in 1996. However, the jury recommended that no compensation at all be paid to the former Taoiseach. The judge subsequently awarded punitive damages
of only one penny
in this action, leaving Reynolds with massive legal costs, estimated at £1 million. A subsequent court of appeal decision in 1998 declared Reynolds had not received a fair hearing in his High Court action and the case continued to be heard in the House of Lords
. This case led to the recognition under British law (and later introduction into Irish law as the "defence of fair and reasonable publication") of the so-called Reynolds defence of qualified privilege for publishers against whom libel actions regarding defamatory comments made in media publications are being taken.
Perhaps the most interesting story concerning the retirement of Albert Reynolds is his relationship with the President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf
. In 1999 General Musharraf became President of Pakistan
following a military coup. The White House at the time had a policy of not recognizing governments that came to power through a coup d'état
. Reynolds was asked by business associates to travel to Pakistan and meet with Musharraf. Musharraf then asked Reynolds to act as an advisor to him and to contact U.S. President Bill Clinton
to reassure the White House as to the intentions of the new government of Pakistan. Reynolds also claimed in interviews with Irish radio that because of the trust built up between himself and Musharraf he was later asked to arrange peace talks between India and Pakistan. These talks started in early 2001 but the September 11 attacks caused them to stall. After the attacks Musharraf could not get in contact with the White House. He called Reynolds, and Reynolds then called former US President Bill Clinton, who quickly contacted President George W. Bush
to communicate the Pakistani position.
In July 2008, it was reported that Reynolds was medically unfit to give evidence at the Mahon Tribunal because of "significant cognitive impairment". Reynolds had been due to give evidence on several previous occasions on payments he allegedly received when he was Taoiseach. Speaking about his former boss, RTE
sports commentator George Hamilton
said that it is a pity Reynolds' mental capacity had diminished. "He was razor sharp", said the broadcaster, who is also a qualified rugby union
referee.
Reynolds receives annual pension payments of €149,740.
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
(prime minister) of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, serving one term in office from 1992 until 1994. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
. He was the fifth leader of Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
during the same period.
Reynolds was first elected to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
as a TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
for Longford–Westmeath in 1977, and was re-elected at each election until his retirement in 2002. He previously served as Minister for Finance
Minister for Finance (Ireland)
The Minister for Finance is the title held by the Irish government minister responsible for all financial and monetary matters. The office-holder controls the Department of Finance and is considered one of the most important members of the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Finance is...
(1988–91), Minister for Industry and Commerce
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ireland)
The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is the senior minister at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is Richard Bruton, TD...
(1987–1988), Minister for Industry and Energy
Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism (Ireland)
The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is the senior minister at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in the Government of Ireland.The current minister is Jimmy Deenihan, TD. He is assisted by:...
(1982), Minister for Transport
Minister for Transport (Ireland)
The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is the senior minister at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is Leo Varadkar, TD...
(1980–81) and Minister for Posts and Telegraphs
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (Ireland)
The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs was a senior post in the government of the Irish Free State and the Republic of Ireland from 1924 to 1984, when the post and the department was abolished....
(1979–81).
Early life
Albert Reynolds was born in RooskyRoosky
Roosky or Rooskey is a village on the River Shannon in County Roscommon, Ireland in the northern midlands of Ireland, near the point where counties Leitrim, Longford, and Roscommon meet. The N4 road from Dublin to Sligo passes by the Leitrim side of the village.- History :Roosky has had a...
, County Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
on 4 November 1932. He was educated at Summerhill College
Summerhill College
Summerhill College is a Roman Catholic voluntary secondary school for boys in Sligo, County Sligo, Ireland.- History :...
in County Sligo, and found work as a clerk in the 1950s with Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the...
(CIÉ), the state transport service. Reynolds left what many would consider to be a "job for life" in the state company and moved into the showband scene, owning a number of dance halls in his local area. He became wealthy from this venture during the 1960s when dance halls proved extremely popular and invested his money in a number of businesses including a pet food company, a bacon factory, a fish exporting operation and hire purchase company. Reynolds also had business interests in local newspapers and a cinema. Although his dance hall empire required late nights Reynolds was a traditional family man and had a happy home with his wife Kathleen and their seven children. Reynolds abstained from alcohol. He developed a network of business contacts both nationally and internationally.
Early political career
Reynolds became interested in politics at the time of the Arms CrisisArms Crisis
The Arms Crisis or Arms Trial was a political scandal in the Republic of Ireland in 1970, when two cabinet ministers — Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney — were sacked for allegedly attempting to illegally import arms for the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland.-Background:The...
in 1970, a hugely controversial episode in modern Irish history which saw two Cabinet ministers, Neil Blaney
Neil Blaney
Neil Terence Columba Blaney was a senior Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1948 as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála representing Donegal East. Blaney served as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs , Minister for Local Government and Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries...
and Charles Haughey
Charles Haughey
Charles James "Charlie" Haughey was Taoiseach of Ireland, serving three terms in office . He was also the fourth leader of Fianna Fáil...
, sacked from the government over an alleged attempt to import arms to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. The two men were subsequently acquitted in court but Reynolds then decided to embark on a political career. Reynolds stood as a Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
candidate at the 1977 general election
Irish general election, 1977
The Irish general election of 1977 was held on 16 June 1977 and is regarded as a pivotal point in twentieth century Irish politics. The general election took place in 42 parliamentary constituencies throughout Ireland for 148 seats in the lower house of parliament, Dáil Éireann. The number of...
for the Longford–Westmeath constituency. The election was a landslide victory for Fianna Fáil, with the party receiving a twenty-seat parliamentary majority. Reynolds was just one of a number of TDs elected to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
on that day, however, at 44 years of age Reynolds was considered a late starter.
Reynolds remained a backbencher until 1979. In that year pressure was mounting on the Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
and Fianna Fáil leader Jack Lynch
Jack Lynch
John Mary "Jack" Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland, serving two terms in office; from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979....
to step down. He became a member of the so-called "gang of five" with Jackie Fahey
Jackie Fahey
John "Jackie" Fahey is a former Irish politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Fianna Fáil party for over twenty five years....
, Mark Killilea, Jnr
Mark Killilea, Jnr
Mark Killilea, Jnr is a former Irish Fianna Fáil party politician from County Galway. In a 30-year political career, served as a Teachta Dála and Member of the European Parliament and also as a Senator....
, Tom McEllistrim and Seán Doherty which aligned itself to Charles Haughey
Charles Haughey
Charles James "Charlie" Haughey was Taoiseach of Ireland, serving three terms in office . He was also the fourth leader of Fianna Fáil...
and supported him in the subsequent leadership contest
Fianna Fáil leadership election, 1979
The 1979 Fianna Fáil leadership election began in December 1979, when Jack Lynch resigned as party leader and Taoiseach. Lynch had been party leader for thirteen years and Taoiseach for over nine years. His successor was elected by the members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on 7 December...
. Reynolds' affable personality helped him to coax a number of backbenchers into supporting Haughey, who went on to beat George Colley
George Colley
George Colley was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, who served in a wide number of Cabinet poistions, most notably as Minister for Finance and Tánaiste. He was twice defeated for the leadership of Fianna Fáil in 1966 and 1979.-Early life:Colley was born in Fairview, on the northside of Dublin...
in the leadership struggle and become Taoiseach. Reynolds was rewarded for his staunch loyalty by joining the government as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (Ireland)
The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs was a senior post in the government of the Irish Free State and the Republic of Ireland from 1924 to 1984, when the post and the department was abolished....
. He took on the Minister for Transport
Minister for Transport (Ireland)
The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is the senior minister at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is Leo Varadkar, TD...
portfolio in 1980, making his brief one of the largest and most wide-ranging in the government. As Minister for Transport Reynolds was involved in a bizarre incident in which an Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus Group Plc is the flag carrier of Ireland. It operates a fleet of Airbus aircraft serving Europe and North America. It is Ireland's oldest extant airline, and its second largest after low-cost rival Ryanair...
plane was hi-jacked with the chief demand for the safe return of the aircraft and its passengers being the revealing of the religious secret, the Third Secret of Fatima. The incident was resolved in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
with no injuries.
Fianna Fáil lost power in 1981 but regained it again in 1982. Reynolds returned to government as Minister for Industry and Energy
Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism (Ireland)
The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is the senior minister at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in the Government of Ireland.The current minister is Jimmy Deenihan, TD. He is assisted by:...
. That government fell in late 1982 and Reynolds was back on the opposition benches. During the 1982–83 period the Fianna Fáil leader, Charles Haughey
Charles Haughey
Charles James "Charlie" Haughey was Taoiseach of Ireland, serving three terms in office . He was also the fourth leader of Fianna Fáil...
, faced three motions of no-confidence. Reynolds gave him his support at all times and Haughey survived, defeating his opponents and critics within the party.
In 1987 Fianna Fáil returned to government and Reynolds was appointed Minister for Industry and Commerce
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ireland)
The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is the senior minister at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is Richard Bruton, TD...
, one of the most senior positions in the cabinet. The position seemed even more important as the government's top priority at this time was economic recovery. In 1988 the Minister for Finance
Minister for Finance (Ireland)
The Minister for Finance is the title held by the Irish government minister responsible for all financial and monetary matters. The office-holder controls the Department of Finance and is considered one of the most important members of the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Finance is...
, Ray MacSharry
Ray MacSharry
Raymond MacSharry is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician, who served in a range of cabinet positions, most notably as Tánaiste, Minister for Finance and European Commissioner.-Early life:...
, became Ireland's European Commissioner
European Commissioner
A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each Member within the college holds a specific portfolio and are led by the President of the European Commission...
. Reynolds succeeded MacSharry in the most important department in the government.
The 1989 general election
Irish general election, 1989
The Irish general election of 1989 was held on Thursday, 15 June 1989, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 25 May. The newly elected 166 members of the 26th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 29 June...
resulted in Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
taking the unprecedented move of entering into a coalition government with the Progressive Democrats
Progressive Democrats
The Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland.Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on...
. Reynolds headed the Fianna Fáil negotiation team along with another Minister, Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
. A programme for government was finally agreed, almost a month after the general election, and Reynolds returned as Minister for Finance in a coalition government that he described as a "temporary little arrangement."
The failure to get the Fianna Fáil candidate, Brian Lenihan, elected as President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
added to the pressure on Haughey's leadership. In a speech in County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Reynolds announced that if a vacancy arose in the position of party leader he would contest it. This was a clear and open revolt on Haughey's leadership. A number of TDs, including some members of the cabinet also began to grow disillusioned with Haughey and they began to look for a successor. Reynolds was the most popular and his profile was enhanced by his so-called "Country & Western" group of TDs who began to agitate within the party on his behalf. In November 1991 a relatively unknown rural TD, Seán Power, put down a motion of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
in Haughey. Reynolds and his staunchest of supporters, Pádraig Flynn
Padraig Flynn
Pádraig "Pee" Flynn is a former Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála in 1977. He was returned at each subsequent election until 1993...
, announced their support for the motion and were immediately sacked from the government. When the vote was taken the party re-affirmed its support in Haughey and it looked as if Reynolds political career was finished.
Haughey's victory was short-lived, as a series of political errors would lead to his demise as Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
. Controversy erupted over the attempted appointment of Jim McDaid
Jim McDaid
James "Jim" McDaid is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician and medical doctor. He served as a Teachta Dála for the Donegal North East constituency from June 1989 until he resigned in November 2010.-Early life:...
as Minister for Defence, which saw him resign from the post before he had been officially installed. Worse was to follow when Seán Doherty, the man who as Minister for Justice had taken the blame for the phone-tapping scandal of the early 1980s, went on RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
television and said that Haughey had known and authorised the phone-tapping. Haughey denied this but the Progressive Democrats
Progressive Democrats
The Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland.Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on...
members of the government stated that they could no longer continue in government with Haughey as Taoiseach. Haughey told Desmond O'Malley
Desmond O'Malley
Desmond Joseph "Des" O'Malley is a former Irish politician.Born in Limerick, O'Malley was raised in a local political dynasty that had a strong association with Fianna Fáil. Elected to Dáil Éireann in 1968, he quickly became a trusted confidante of Taoiseach Jack Lynch...
, the PD leader, that he intended to retire shortly but wanted to choose his own time of departure. O'Malley agreed to this and the government continued.
On 30 January 1992 Haughey officially retired as leader of Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
at the parliamentary party meeting. He remained as Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
until 11 February when Albert Reynolds succeeded him having easily defeated Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. She is a former Teachta Dála for the Longford–Westmeath and Westmeath constituencies. She served as Minister for Education , Minister for Health and Minister for Public Enterprise...
and Michael Woods in the Fianna Fáil leadership election
Fianna Fáil leadership election, 1992
The 1992 Fianna Fáil leadership election began in January 1992, when Charles Haughey resigned as party leader. Haughey had been party leader for thirteen years and had served as Taoiseach on three occasions. His successor was elected by the members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on 6...
.
Taoiseach 1992–1994
Reynolds created a storm when he appointed his new cabinet. Eight members of Haughey's old cabinet, including such long-standing figures as Ray Burke, Mary O'RourkeMary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. She is a former Teachta Dála for the Longford–Westmeath and Westmeath constituencies. She served as Minister for Education , Minister for Health and Minister for Public Enterprise...
and Gerry Collins, were instantly dismissed. These three ministers had been loyal to Haughey. Nine of the twelve junior ministers, many of whom were also Haughey loyalists, were also sacked. The ministers who were sacked along with Reynolds at the end of 1991 where all re-instated. Reynolds promoted several long running critics of Haughey, like David Andrews, Séamus Brennan
Séamus Brennan
Séamus Brennan was a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician and a Teachta Dála for Dublin South. He served as a Minister of State, Minister for Tourism and Transport , Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications , Minister for Education , Minister for Transport , Minister for Social and...
, and Charlie McCreevy
Charlie McCreevy
Charles "Charlie" McCreevy is a former Irish politician. He was the European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services from 2004–2010. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD in 1977 and held the seat in Kildare until 2004 when he became Ireland's European Commissioner...
into senior ministerial positions. Reynolds also promoted a number of younger TDs from rural constituencies like Noel Dempsey
Noel Dempsey
Noel Dempsey is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Meath and Meath West constituencies from 1987 to 2011...
, and Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
, to cabinet position. Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
, possibly one of Haughey's biggest supporters, remained as Minister for Finance due to his agreement with Reynolds not to challenge him for the leadership.
From Reynolds's first day as Taoiseach, he had to deal with the X Case
Attorney General v. X
Attorney General v. X was a 1992 Irish Supreme Court case which established the right of Irish women to an abortion if a pregnant woman's life was at risk because of pregnancy, including the risk of suicide....
incident, which proved very divisive. Reynolds, a natural pragmatist tried to find a sensible middle ground position and seemed to alienate both the media and the Church. This was when the Attorney General
Attorney General of Ireland
The Attorney General is a constitutional officer who is the official adviser to the Government of Ireland in matters of law. He is in effect the chief law officer in Ireland. The Attorney General is not a member of the Government but does participate in cabinet meetings when invited and attends...
, Harry Whelehan
Harry Whelehan
Harry Whelehan is a former Irish Attorney general and for six days was President of the High Court.-X Case controversy:In 1992 as attorney general, Harry Whelehan sought an injunction in the X Case to prevent a 14 year old rape victim having an abortion...
, refused to allow a 14-year old girl to travel to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for an abortion. The incident strained relations between the government parties of Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
and the Progressive Democrats
Progressive Democrats
The Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland.Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on...
. A referendum on abortion was eventually held, with the government suffering an embarrassing defeat on the third strand of the referendum which would make abortion illegal except when the life of the mother was in danger. The referendum and the wording of the constitutional change between the two government parties caused tensions, however, the government remained intact.
A tribunal of enquiry into irregularities in the beef industry, referred to as the "Beef Tribunal", was established to examine the "unhealthy" relationship between Charles Haughey
Charles Haughey
Charles James "Charlie" Haughey was Taoiseach of Ireland, serving three terms in office . He was also the fourth leader of Fianna Fáil...
and the beef baron Larry Goodman. However this revealed to the public a substantial conflict of opinion between the two party leaders. At the tribunal Desmond O'Malley
Desmond O'Malley
Desmond Joseph "Des" O'Malley is a former Irish politician.Born in Limerick, O'Malley was raised in a local political dynasty that had a strong association with Fianna Fáil. Elected to Dáil Éireann in 1968, he quickly became a trusted confidante of Taoiseach Jack Lynch...
severely criticised Reynolds, in his capacity as Minister for Industry and Commerce, for an export credit scheme. When Reynolds gave evidence he referred to O'Malley as "dishonest." This enraged the Progressive Democrats leader and the party voted against itself and Fianna Fáil, in a motion of no confidence and the government fell.
The election campaign was a disaster for Fianna Fáil. The world was in recession, Haughey was still in people's memories, and the Gulf War dominated international news. It certainly did not help to have Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
in the news, at the same time as the Beef Tribunal was discussing Reynolds' attempts to sell beef to the Iraqi regime. The fact that Reynolds seemed prepared to issue risky state funded export insurance, effectively subsidising the Goodman business empire which now accounted for 12% of national GDP, when the country was economically in deep trouble, caused great distrust in the electorate. Support for the party fell by 5%, and it was clear that the public sided with Reynolds over O'Malley, concerning the allegations made at the Tribunal. The Labour Party, under Dick Spring
Dick Spring
Richard "Dick" Spring is an Irish businessman and former politician. He was first elected as a Labour Party Teachta Dála in 1981 and retained his seat until 2002. He became leader of the Labour Party in 1982, and held this position until 1997...
were riding high in opinion polls and pursued a campaign independent of its traditional coalition partners Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
. Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
had received its worst election results since 1927. Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
lost 9 seats while the Labour Party had its best result with 33 seats. Eventually negotiations began to form another coalition government , the expected Fine Gael-Labour Coalition fell through after weeks of negotiations because of Spring's desire to be a rotating Taoisach with John Bruton of Fine Gael. A Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
–Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
government came to power with Reynolds returning as Taoiseach and Dick Spring
Dick Spring
Richard "Dick" Spring is an Irish businessman and former politician. He was first elected as a Labour Party Teachta Dála in 1981 and retained his seat until 2002. He became leader of the Labour Party in 1982, and held this position until 1997...
of Labour becoming Tánaiste
Tánaiste
The Tánaiste is the deputy prime minister of Ireland. The current Tánaiste is Eamon Gilmore, TD who was appointed on 9 March 2011.- Origins and etymology :...
.
One of Reynolds's main achievements during his term as Taoiseach was the advancement in the peace process regarding Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Piecemeal negotiations had gone on during 1993 between Reynolds and the British Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
. Reynolds had a very good relationship with Major. On 15 December 1993 the Joint Downing Street Declaration was signed in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In September 1994 Reynolds was infamously stood up by Russian president Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
whose plane landed at Shannon Airport
Shannon Airport
Shannon Airport, is one of the Republic of Ireland's three primary airports along with Dublin and Cork. In 2010 around 1,750,000 passengers passed through the airport, making it the third busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland after Dublin and Cork, and the fifth busiest airport on the island...
but who failed to emerge to meet the waiting Irish dignatories. The incident made headlines around the world as it was alleged that Yeltsin was too drunk to appear although a Russian official said that Yeltsin was unwell and Yeltsin himself later stated that he had overslept.
The agreement between the two governments was a high point for Reynolds, however the Government was soon to face more pressure. Reynolds' Minister of Finance, Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
, issued a tax amnesty for people who had outstanding tax bills unpaid and undeclared, provided they make some declaration of their previous income. This created considerable media disquiet, and Spring felt the need to respond. On 9 June 1994 Fianna Fáil lost two seats in the Mayo West by-election and the Dublin South Central by-election to the opposition Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
and Democratic Left
Democratic Left (Ireland)
Democratic Left was a democratic socialist political party active in Ireland between 1992 and 1999. It came into being after a split in the Workers' Party and, after just seven years in existence, it merged into the Irish Labour Party.-Origins:...
. This placed real pressure on Reynolds, as he could no longer depend on Spring to remain in government.
The report on the Beef Tribunal was published in July 1994, and Labour had threatened to leave the government if Reynolds was criticised. Reynolds claimed that report "fully vindicated" the policies and decisions of Reynolds as being in the State's interest . Reynolds was alleged to have juxtaposed and misquoted sections of the report in issuing a rebuttal before the report became public.
However, Spring was extremely annoyed that the report was not considered by the cabinet first. This caused tension between Reynolds and Spring.
Reynolds, however, remained involved in discussion with Northern nationalist parties. Eventually along with John Hume
John Hume
John Hume is a former Irish politician from Derry, Northern Ireland. He was a founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, and was co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize, with David Trimble....
, and Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
did manage to induce the IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
to call a complete ceasefire on 31 August 1994.
Reynolds had decided to re-appoint the Attorney General, Harry Whelehan, when the government had been formed in 1992. Spring had not objected at the time, despite the fact that Spring had serious reservations concerning Whelehan's devout Catholic faith. When the position of president of the High Court became available, Reynolds proposed Whelehan. At this stage there were allegations surfacing that Whelehan had been less than keen to prosecute a serial child abuser, Fr. Brendan Smyth, due to its implications on the accountability of certain prominent members of the Catholic Hierarchy. It was later revealed that Whelehan, in his capacity as Attorney General
Attorney General of Ireland
The Attorney General is a constitutional officer who is the official adviser to the Government of Ireland in matters of law. He is in effect the chief law officer in Ireland. The Attorney General is not a member of the Government but does participate in cabinet meetings when invited and attends...
, had mishandled an attempt to extradite Smyth to Northern Ireland, where he faced criminal charges. The fact that this was covered on the British television station, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, when the Irish state broadcaster was mute, and Irish newspapers effectively talking around the issue, because of libel law, seemed to make it even more embarrassing for the country. Spring was trying to decide how to prevent the appointment, in the face of a strong commitment by Reynolds.
In this context, Spring led his ministers out of a cabinet meeting and mulled over the consequences and what the next step should be. The coalition looked finished, but Reynolds still held out for the chance to patch things up. Realising that his bluff had been called, Reynolds was forced to go before Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
and indicate that if he had known 'then' what he 'knew now' about the incompetent handling of the case by the AG's office he would not have appointed Whelehan to the judicial post. However Reynolds was damaged politically, having appeared more interested in holding on to power, at all costs. Spring decided that he could not go back into government with Reynolds. Subsequently the Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
resigned from government. Reynolds realised that nothing could be done to save the government, and he resigned as Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil. He could have asked President Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson
Mary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate...
to dissolve the Dáil and call new elections, though Robinson has since stated she would have refused such a request, thereby forcing Reynolds to resign.
On 19 December 1994 the Minister for Finance, Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
, was unanimously elected the sixth leader of Fianna Fáil. Reynolds's favoured successor, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn is an Irish politician, and is the current European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science. She previously served as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for the Galway West constituency from 1975 to 1997...
, withdrew from the leadership contest on the morning of the vote, and Reynolds returned to the opposition backbenches of Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
.. While it was initially thought that Ahern would become Taosieach and the coalition with Labour would be retained, Labour instead opted to go into coalition with Fine Gael. Fianna Fáil thus found themselves in opposition against the Rainbow Coalition
Reynolds greatest legacy was the de-escalation of the conflict in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, from the nationalist side. Whereas both his predecessors had troubled relationships with British prime minister Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, Reynolds was more pragmatic in his dealings with the new British Prime Minister, John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
. Reynolds also managed to negotiate considerable benefits from the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
regional aid budget, in the aftermath of Danish rejection, of the Maastricht Treaty
Maastricht Treaty
The Maastricht Treaty was signed on 7 February 1992 by the members of the European Community in Maastricht, Netherlands. On 9–10 December 1991, the same city hosted the European Council which drafted the treaty...
. Reynolds introduced a second tax amnesty, which allowed some tax evaders to get away with tax evasion and fraud, which provided some limited benefit to the national finances.
In November 2007, it was alleged at the Mahon Tribunal, that Reynolds, while on Government business in New York, collected a substantial sum of money for his Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
party, that did not get fully credited to the party. On the same trip, it emerged in the tribunal that Reynolds had the Government jet make an additional and unscheduled five hour stopover in the Bahamas.
Post-Taoiseach period
Reynolds remained on as a TD following his resignation. At the beginning of 1997 he was thinking of retiring from politics at the next general election, which would have to be held during that year. Bertie Ahern, encouraged him to run and offered him the position of "peace envoy" to Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and his support as a candidate for the presidential election. Fianna Fáil won the election, however, Ahern reneged on this promise to Reynolds due to poor election results in his constituency and the change in the political situation in Northern Ireland. However, Reynolds was still interested in being a candidate for the presidency, along with two other candidates, Michael O'Kennedy
Michael O'Kennedy
Michael O'Kennedy is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician, who served in a range of cabinet positions, most notably as Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Finance and Irish European Commissioner.-Early life:...
and Mary McAleese
Mary McAleese
Mary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
. In a meeting of ministers the Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
gave a typically ambiguous speech which seemed to encourage his Cabinet to support McAleese. Although Renyolds won the first round of voting with a comfortable margin, supporters of O'Kennedy backed McAleese. McAleese was successful and went on to become the eighth President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
. Reynolds was humiliated by Ahern and many of the ministers he had sacked when he came to power in 1992. He retired from politics at the 2002 general election
Irish general election, 2002
The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern...
after 25 years as a TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
. Reynolds has said that I don't bear any grudges over Ahern.
Reynolds was involved in a long-running libel action taken against British newspaper The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
on foot of an article published in 1994. It alleged that Reynolds had deliberately and dishonestly misled the Dáil regarding matters in connection with the Brendan Smyth affair that had brought down the coalition government. The newspaper claimed a defence of qualified privilege
Qualified privilege
The defense of qualified privilege permits persons in positions of authority or trust to make statements or relay or report statements that would be considered slander and libel if made by anyone else...
with regard to these assertions on foot of their supposed benefit to the public, but a High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
jury found in favour Reynolds in 1996. However, the jury recommended that no compensation at all be paid to the former Taoiseach. The judge subsequently awarded punitive damages
Punitive damages
Punitive damages or exemplary damages are damages intended to reform or deter the defendant and others from engaging in conduct similar to that which formed the basis of the lawsuit...
of only one penny
Penny
A penny is a coin or a type of currency used in several English-speaking countries. It is often the smallest denomination within a currency system.-Etymology:...
in this action, leaving Reynolds with massive legal costs, estimated at £1 million. A subsequent court of appeal decision in 1998 declared Reynolds had not received a fair hearing in his High Court action and the case continued to be heard in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. This case led to the recognition under British law (and later introduction into Irish law as the "defence of fair and reasonable publication") of the so-called Reynolds defence of qualified privilege for publishers against whom libel actions regarding defamatory comments made in media publications are being taken.
Perhaps the most interesting story concerning the retirement of Albert Reynolds is his relationship with the President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
. In 1999 General Musharraf became President of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
following a military coup. The White House at the time had a policy of not recognizing governments that came to power through a coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
. Reynolds was asked by business associates to travel to Pakistan and meet with Musharraf. Musharraf then asked Reynolds to act as an advisor to him and to contact U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
to reassure the White House as to the intentions of the new government of Pakistan. Reynolds also claimed in interviews with Irish radio that because of the trust built up between himself and Musharraf he was later asked to arrange peace talks between India and Pakistan. These talks started in early 2001 but the September 11 attacks caused them to stall. After the attacks Musharraf could not get in contact with the White House. He called Reynolds, and Reynolds then called former US President Bill Clinton, who quickly contacted President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to communicate the Pakistani position.
In July 2008, it was reported that Reynolds was medically unfit to give evidence at the Mahon Tribunal because of "significant cognitive impairment". Reynolds had been due to give evidence on several previous occasions on payments he allegedly received when he was Taoiseach. Speaking about his former boss, RTE
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
sports commentator George Hamilton
George Hamilton (commentator)
George Hamilton is an Irish sportscaster born in Belfast. He works for Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and is a household name in Ireland where his voice and refined commentary style of football are familiar to sports fans. He also presents a show on RTÉ lyric fm and previously presented Know Your Sport...
said that it is a pity Reynolds' mental capacity had diminished. "He was razor sharp", said the broadcaster, who is also a qualified rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
referee.
Reynolds receives annual pension payments of €149,740.
Governments
The following governments were led by Reynolds:- 22nd Government of Ireland (February 1992–January 1993)
- 23rd Government of Ireland (January 1993–December 1994)