Peter Barry
Encyclopedia
Peter Barry is a retired Irish
Fine Gael
politician and businessman from Cork City
. He was a Teachta Dála
(TD) from 1969 to 1997, and as Minister for Foreign Affairs
from 1982 to 1987 he helped negotiate the Anglo-Irish Agreement
and in 1987 he served for a short time as Tánaiste
(deputy prime minister).
, a Fine Gael Teachta Dála
(TD) and well-known businessman. He was educated in Cork and then became the major shareholder in the family company, Barry's Tea
.
as a Fine Gael TD at the 1969 general election
. When Fine Gael came to power at the 1973 election
, he was appointed Minister for Transport and Power. In 1976 he became Minister for Education. In 1979, when Dr Garret FitzGerald
became leader, Barry was elected deputy leader of the Fine Gael
party. From 1981 to March 1982 he served as Minister for the Environment.
From December 1982 to 1987 he was the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In his capacity as Foreign Minister he was heavily involved in the negotiations which resulted in the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement. He also became the first joint chairman of the Anglo-Irish Inter-Governmental Conference which was established by the Irish and British governments. Following the Labour Party's withdrawal from the coalition government in 1987 Barry became Tánaiste
for a brief period.
When FitzGerald resigned as Fine Gael leader after 1987 general election
Barry was one of three candidates (along with Alan Dukes
and John Bruton
) who contested the leadership of Fine Gael. Dukes was the eventual victor.
He retired at the 1997 general election
and his seat was held for Fine Gael by his daughter, Deirdre Clune
.
He receives annual pension payments of €126,000.
, South Antrim
, East Londonderry
and Strangford
under the label "For the Anglo-Irish Agreement". Despite not campaigning, he won over 6,000 votes.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
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...
politician and businessman from Cork City
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
. He was a Teachta Dála
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...
(TD) from 1969 to 1997, and as Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ireland)
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is the senior minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the Government of Ireland. Its headquarters are at Iveagh House, on St Stephen's Green in Dublin; "Iveagh House" is often used as a metonym for the department as a whole.The current...
from 1982 to 1987 he helped negotiate the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Anglo-Irish Agreement
The Anglo-Irish Agreement was an agreement between the United Kingdom and Ireland which aimed to help bring an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland...
and in 1987 he served for a short time as 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 :...
(deputy prime minister).
Family
Barry was the son of Anthony BarryAnthony Barry
Anthony Barry was an Irish businessman and Fine Gael politician from Cork.-Early life and career:He was born one of 11 children, his family had a small grocery business at Bridge Street in Cork. The firm specialised in teas and wines and later moved to Princes Street...
, a Fine Gael Teachta Dála
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...
(TD) and well-known businessman. He was educated in Cork and then became the major shareholder in the family company, Barry's Tea
Barry's Tea
Barry's Tea is an Irish tea company founded in 1901 in Cork City. Until the 1960s, tea was sold from a shop in Prince's Street, but thereafter as a result of its increasing popularity, the company expanded its wholesaling and distribution operations. By the 1990s, the company had become one of...
.
Political career
Peter Barry was first elected to Dáil ÉireannDáil 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 Fine Gael TD at the 1969 general election
Irish general election, 1969
The Irish general election of 1969 was held on 18 June 1969. The newly elected members of the 19th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 2 July when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed...
. When Fine Gael came to power at the 1973 election
Irish general election, 1973
The Irish general election of 1973 was held on 28 February 1973. The newly elected 144 members of the 20th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 4 March when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
, he was appointed Minister for Transport and Power. In 1976 he became Minister for Education. In 1979, when Dr Garret FitzGerald
Garret FitzGerald
Garret FitzGerald was an Irish politician who was twice Taoiseach of Ireland, serving in office from July 1981 to February 1982 and again from December 1982 to March 1987. FitzGerald was elected to Seanad Éireann in 1965 and was subsequently elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fine Gael TD in 1969. He...
became leader, Barry was elected deputy leader of the 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...
party. From 1981 to March 1982 he served as Minister for the Environment.
From December 1982 to 1987 he was the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In his capacity as Foreign Minister he was heavily involved in the negotiations which resulted in the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement. He also became the first joint chairman of the Anglo-Irish Inter-Governmental Conference which was established by the Irish and British governments. Following the Labour Party's withdrawal from the coalition government in 1987 Barry became 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 :...
for a brief period.
When FitzGerald resigned as Fine Gael leader after 1987 general election
Irish general election, 1987
The Irish general election of 1987 was held on 17 February 1987, four weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 20 January. The newly-elected 166 members of the 25th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 10 March when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took place in...
Barry was one of three candidates (along with Alan Dukes
Alan Dukes
Alan Dukes is a former Irish politician who served as leader of the Fine Gael political party and Teachta Dála for Kildare and Kildare South. He holds the distinction of being one of only five TDs to be appointed Minister on their first day in the Dáil. He lost his seat in the 2002 general election...
and John Bruton
John Bruton
John Gerard Bruton is an Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 1994 to 1997. A minister under two taoisigh, Liam Cosgrave and Garret FitzGerald, Bruton held a number of the top posts in Irish government, including Minister for Finance , and Minister for Industry, Trade,...
) who contested the leadership of Fine Gael. Dukes was the eventual victor.
He retired at the 1997 general election
Irish general election, 1997
The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, 6 June 1997. The 166 newly elected members of the 28th Dáil assembled on 26 June 1997 when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
and his seat was held for Fine Gael by his daughter, Deirdre Clune
Deirdre Clune
Deirdre Clune is an Irish Fine Gael politician. She was elected to Seanad Éireann in April 2011. She is a former Teachta Dála for the Cork South Central constituency.-Early life:...
.
He receives annual pension payments of €126,000.
Northern Ireland by-elections, 1986
In 1986 the fifteen Unionist members of the Westminster parliament resigned in protest at the Anglo-Irish Agreement, leading to by-elections. To ensure contests in each constituency, Wesley Robert Williamson changed his name by deed poll to Peter Barry and stood in the four constituencies of North AntrimNorth Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)
North Antrim is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. Its current member is Ian Paisley Jr.-Boundaries:North Antrim has always been a county constituency comprising the northern part of County Antrim in the north-east of Northern Ireland...
, South Antrim
South Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)
South Antrim is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:From 1885, this constituency was one of four county divisions of the former Antrim constituency...
, East Londonderry
East Londonderry (UK Parliament constituency)
East Londonderry is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The seat was created in boundary changes in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from the old Londonderry constituency...
and Strangford
Strangford (UK Parliament constituency)
Strangford is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The seat was created in boundary changes in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from parts of North Down...
under the label "For the Anglo-Irish Agreement". Despite not campaigning, he won over 6,000 votes.