Garret FitzGerald

Garret Desmond FitzGerald (9 February 1926 – 19 May 2011) was an Irish politician who served twice as Taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland, from 1981 to 1982 and again from 1982 to 1987. Elected to Seanad Éireann in 1965, and in 1969 to Dáil Éireann as a Teachta Dála (TD), he served as Ireland's foreign minister from 1973 to 1977 and as leader of Fine Gael from 1977 to 1987.

Early life
FitzGerald was born in Dublin in 1926 into a very politically active family. His father was  Desmond FitzGerald, His mother, the former Mabel Washington McConnell, was a nationalist and republican of Ulster Protestant descent.

He was educated at the Jesuit Belvedere College and University College Dublin (UCD).  A bright student who counted among his contemporaries in UCD his future political rival, Charles Haughey, who also knew Joan O'Farrell (the Liverpool-born daughter of a British army officer), a fellow student whom FitzGerald would marry in 1947.

He later qualified as a barrister from the King's Inns of Ireland.

Early political life
FitzGerald was eager to enter politics and, although it was suggested by several members of Fianna Fáil (including Charles Haughey) that he should join them, he made his entry into party politics under the banner of Fine Gael. He was elected to Seanad Éireann in 1965 and soon built up his political profile. FitzGerald was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1969 general election, for the Dublin South-East constituency.

Minister for Foreign Affairs
After the 1973 general election, Fine Gael came to power in a coalition government with the Labour Party, with Liam Cosgrave as Taoiseach. FitzGerald hoped that he would take over as Minister for Finance, however the position went to Richie Ryan, with FitzGerald becoming Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Ireland was no longer a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, but in 1973 had joined the European Economic Community (EEC), now known as the European Union (EU). FitzGerald, with his innovative views, energy and fluency in the French language, won Ireland a status in European affairs far beyond the country's size and ensured that the first Irish presidency of the European Council in 1975 was a noted success.

Leader of Fine Gael
In 1977, the National Coalition of Fine Gael and Labour suffered a disastrous electoral defeat in the general election. Liam Cosgrave resigned as party leader and FitzGerald was chosen by acclamation to succeed him.

Under FitzGerald, Fine Gael experienced a rapid rise in support and popularity. After the November 1982 election it held only five seats fewer than Fianna Fáil (their closest ever margin until 2011; at times Fianna Fáil was nearly twice as large), with Fine Gael in the Oireachtas  than Fianna Fáil, who had been the dominant force in Irish politics for 40 years.

Taoiseach 1981–82
By the time of the 1981 general election, Fine Gael won 65 seats and formed a minority coalition government with the Labour Party and the support of a number of Independent TDs. FitzGerald was elected Taoiseach, on 30 June 1981.

Two key problems faced FitzGerald during his first period: Northern Ireland and the worsening economic situation. On one occasion where he met with relatives of the H-Block hunger strikers, two of Thomas McElwee's sisters, Mary and Nora, broke down and left the meeting; Mary said to the media outside that "he's doing nothing, he's asking for suggestions". FitzGerald then ordered Gardaí to remove the families from the meeting.

In the subsequent general election in February 1982, Fine Gael lost only two seats but were out of power. However, a third general election within eighteen months, in November 1982, resulted in FitzGerald being returned as Taoiseach for a second time, heading a Fine Gael–Labour coalition with a working majority.

Taoiseach 1982–87

Constitutional reform
As Taoiseach for a second time, FitzGerald advocated a liberalisation of Irish society. His attempt to introduce divorce was defeated in a referendum, although he did liberalise Ireland's contraception laws.

A controversial Pro-Life Amendment (anti-abortion clause), which was stated to recognise the "Right to Life of the Unborn, with due regard to the Equal Right to Life of the Mother", was added to the Irish constitution—against FitzGerald's advice—in a 1983 national referendum.

Northern Ireland
FitzGerald set up the New Ireland Forum in 1983, which brought together representatives of the constitutional political parties in the Republic and the nationalist SDLP from Northern Ireland. It provided the incentive for the reopening of serious negotiations between the Irish and British governments, which resulted in the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985.

While the Agreement was rejected and criticised by Unionists, it was said to become the basis for developing trust and common action between the Irish and British governments which, in time, would ultimately bring about the Downing Street Declaration of 1993 and, subsequently, the republican and loyalist cease-fires.

Infighting and declining support
In January 1987, the Labour Party members of the government withdrew from the government over disagreements due to budget proposals. FitzGerald continued as Taoiseach, heading a minority Fine Gael government and proposed the stringent budgetary cutbacks that Labour had blocked for some four years. Fianna Fáil returned to power in March 1987, after Fine Gael were heavily defeated in the 1987 general election, and Charles Haughey was elected Taoiseach.

Post-Taoiseach period 
FitzGerald retired as leader of Fine Gael immediately after the election of Charles Haughey as Taoiseach, and retired completely from politics at the 1992 general election. His wife, Joan, died before him in 1999; after that FitzGerald wrote a weekly column every Saturday in The Irish Times, and lectured widely at home and abroad on public affairs.

In 2009, FitzGerald had received a new ministerial car, the first and only one to have been bought by the state since an economic recession hit the country in 2008.

Death
On 5 May 2011, it was reported that FitzGerald was seriously ill in a Dublin hospital. The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, sent his regards and called him an "institution". He was put on a ventilator. On 19 May he died aged 85, from pneumonia, at the Mater Private Hospital in Dublin.

Governments led by FitzGerald
17th Government of Ireland (1981–1982)
19th Government of Ireland (1982–1987)

Notes

References

Other websites

1926 births
2011 deaths
Former members of Dáil Éireann
Former members of Seanad Éireann
Government ministers of Ireland
Members of Fine Gael
People from Dublin
Taoisigh of Ireland