John Gerard Bruton (Irish: Seán de Briotún; born 18 May 1947) was the ninth Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland. A minister under two taoisigh, Liam Cosgrave, Garret FitzGerald Bruton held a number of the top posts in Irish government, including Minister for Finance (1981–1982 and 1986–1987), Minister for Industry & Energy (1982–1983) and Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce & 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. Before you can upload images you will need to register an account Only use this if you hold the copyright on the image. ... The Taoiseach (IPA: or ) — plural: Taoisigh ( or ), also referred to as An Taoiseach[1], is the head of government of Ireland or prime minister. ... December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Richard Spring (born August 29, 1950 in Tralee County Kerry), is a businessman and former senior Irish politician. ... Albert Reynolds (born November 3, 1932), was the eighth Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, serving one term in office from 1992 until 1994. ... Patrick Bartholomew Ahern (known as Bertie Ahern, Irish: ; born 12 September 1951 in Dublin) is an Irish politician. ... May 18 is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Navan Code: MH Area: 2,342 km² Population (2006) 162,621 Website: www. ... Fine Gael (IPA: , though often anglicised to ) (approximate English translation: Family or Tribe of the Irish) and officially, Fine Gael - The United Ireland Party, is the second largest political party in the Republic of Ireland, presently forming the largest opposition party in the Dail (Irish Parliament), and claims a membership... // Artists impression of an English barrister A barrister is a lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions which employ a split profession (as opposed to a fused profession) in relation to legal representation. ... May 18 is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... The Taoiseach (IPA: or ) — plural: Taoisigh ( or ), also referred to as An Taoiseach[1], is the head of government of Ireland or prime minister. ... The Taoiseach (IPA: or ) — plural: Taoisigh ( or ), also referred to as An Taoiseach[1], is the head of government of Ireland or prime minister. ... Liam Cosgrave (Irish name Liam Mac Cosgair) (born 13 April 1920), served as the fifth Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland between 1973 and 1977. ... Garret FitzGerald (Irish: ; born February 9, 1926) was the seventh Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, serving two terms in office; July 1981 to February 1982, and December 1982 to March 1987. ... The Government (Irish: Rialtas) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in the Republic of Ireland. ... The Minister for Finance is the senior minister at the Department of Finance (An Roinn Airgeadais) in the Irish Government. ... The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment is the senior minister at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (An Roinn Fiontar, Trádála agus Fostaíochta) in the Irish Government. ... The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment is the senior minister at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (An Roinn Fiontar, Trádála agus Fostaíochta) in the Irish Government. ... Fine Gael (IPA: , though often anglicised to ) (approximate English translation: Family or Tribe of the Irish) and officially, Fine Gael - The United Ireland Party, is the second largest political party in the Republic of Ireland, presently forming the largest opposition party in the Dail (Irish Parliament), and claims a membership... Rainbow Coalition may refer to any of the following groups: The ruling Kenyan political party National Rainbow Coalition The second coalition of the Government of the 27th Dáil in Ireland. ... Fine Gael (IPA: , though often anglicised to ) (approximate English translation: Family or Tribe of the Irish) and officially, Fine Gael - The United Ireland Party, is the second largest political party in the Republic of Ireland, presently forming the largest opposition party in the Dail (Irish Parliament), and claims a membership... Logo of the Irish Labour Party The Irish Labour Party (Irish: Páirti an Lucht Oibre) is the third largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. ... Democratic Left was a socialist political party active primsrily in the Republic of Ireland, but also in Northern Ireland between 1992 and 1999. ...

Bruton was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a TD for Meath in 1969, and served continuously until his retirement from domestic politics in 2004. He is currently the Ambassador of the European Union to the United States, and is a former Vice-President of the European People's Party (EPP). He is married to Finola Bruton and has 4 children. This article is about the current Irish body. ... A Teachta Dála (Irish for Dáil Deputy, pronounced chock-ta dawla) is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Irish Oireachtas or National Parliament. ... The Meath parliamentary constituency spans the entire area of the county of Meath in Leinster, Ireland, taking in Navan, Trim and Ashbourne. ... An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. ... The European Peoples Party (EPP) is the largest European political party. ...

Early life

John Gerard Bruton was born to a farming family in Dunboyne County Meath and educated at Clongowes Wood College, a Jesuit-run independent fee-paying secondary school, which numbers James Joyce among its former students. Oscar notes in his Politics and War in Meath 1913-23 that John Bruton's grandfather was one of the farmers in south Meath who prevented the traditionally Anglo-Irish ascendency hunt from proceeding in the area during the Irish War of Independence, a highly significant indicator of the times given the conservatism of those landowners. John himself later went on to study at University College Dublin where he received an honours Bachelor of Arts degree and qualified as a barrister from King's Inns, but never went on to practice law. Bruton was narrowly elected to Dáil Éireann in the 1969 general election as a Fine Gael TD. At the age of 22 he was the youngest ever member of the Dáil up to that point. He more than doubled his vote in the general election of 1973, which brought Fine Gael to power as part of the National Coalition with the Labour Party. Bruton was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry & Commerce and to the Minister for Education, by the National Coalition in 1973. He remained in office until 1977. WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ... Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Navan Code: MH Area: 2,342 km² Population (2006) 162,621 Website: www. ... Clongowes Wood College is a private secondary boarding school for boys in County Kildare, Ireland run by the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits) since 1814, making it one of Irelands oldest Catholic schools. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (Irish Séamus Seoighe; 2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish expatriate writer, widely considered to be one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. ... University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin - more commonly University College Dublin (UCD) - is Irelands largest university, with over 20,000 students. ... A B.A. issused as a certificate Bachelor of Arts (B.A., BA or A.B.), from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus is an undergraduate bachelors degree awarded for either a course or a program in the liberal arts or the sciences, or both. ... // Artists impression of an English barrister A barrister is a lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions which employ a split profession (as opposed to a fused profession) in relation to legal representation. ... The Kings Inns or formally the Honorable Society of Kings Inns (HSKI) is the institution which controls the entry of barristers-at-law into the justice system of the Republic of Ireland. ... Lady Justice or Justitia is a personification of the moral force that underlies the legal system (particularly in Western art). ... This article is about the current Irish body. ... Jack Lynch becomes Taoiseach after winning his first election as leader of Fianna Fáil The Irish general election of 1969 was held on June 18, 1969, just over four years after its predecessor. ... A Teachta Dála (Irish for Dáil Deputy, pronounced chock-ta dawla) is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Irish Oireachtas or National Parliament. ... This is an incomplete list of public-representative office-holders, elected and appointed, past and present, in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. ... The 20th Dáil was elected on February 28, 1973 and first met on March 14 when the 14th Government of Ireland was appointed. ...

Front bench to minister

Following Fine Gael's defeat in the 1977 General Election, Bruton was appointed to the new front bench as Spokesperson on Agriculture by its new leader, Garret FitzGerald. He was later promoted to the shadow Finance portfolio, making a particular effective speech in the Dáil in response to the budget of 1980. He played a prominent role in Fine Gael's campaign in the 1981 General Election which resulted in another coalition with the Labour Party with FitzGerald as Taoiseach. Bruton received a huge personal vote in Meath, and at the age of only 34 was appointed Minister for Finance, the most senior position in the Cabinet. The new government had to abandon its election promises to cut taxes in the light of overwhelming economic realities. The government collapsed unexpectedly on the night of 27 January 1982 when Bruton's controversial Budget was defeated in the Dáil. The previously supportive Independent Socialist TD, Jim Kemmy, voted against the Budget, which proposed the introduction of VAT on children's shoes, thus causing the Dáil to be dissolved and Fine Gael to lose power. Inevitably, the budget was seen as necessary and politically brave on the part of Bruton's supporters, but in the eyes of many marked him down as heartless and, worse for a politician, politically naive. The Irish general election of 1977 was held on June 16, 1977. ... Garret FitzGerald (Irish: ; born February 9, 1926) was the seventh Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, serving two terms in office; July 1981 to February 1982, and December 1982 to March 1987. ... The Irish general election of 1981 was held on June 11, 1981, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on May 21. ... The Labour Party (Irish: Páirtí an Lucht Oibre) is a social democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. ... January 27 is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Jim Kemmy (1936-1997) was a socialist politician born in Limerick, Ireland. ... vat can be a type of barrel used for storage. ...

Minister to leader

The minority Fianna Fáil government which followed only lasted until November 1982 when Fine Gael once again returned to power in a coalition government with the Labour Party but when the new government was formed Bruton was moved from Finance to become Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce & Tourism. The following year (1983) the Trade and Tourism portfolios were removed from his brief. A 1986 Cabinet re-shuffle saw Bruton return as Minister for Finance. Although he was Minister for Finance, Bruton never presented his Budget. The Labour Party withdrew from the government due to a disagreement over his budget proposals leading to the collapse of the government and another election. Fianna Fáil - The Republican Party (Irish: Fianna Fáil - An Páirtí Poblachtánach), commonly referred to as Fianna Fáil (IPA ; traditionally translated by the party into English as Soldiers of Destiny, though the actual meaning is Soldiers [Fianna] of Ireland[1]), is currently the largest political party...

Following the 1987 General Election Fine Gael suffered a heavy defeat. Garret FitzGerald resigned as leader immediately, and a leadership contest erupted between Alan Dukes, Peter Barry and Bruton himself. The exact result of the vote was not published.^[1] This was a severe blow as the victor, Dukes, was, like Bruton, one of the younger generation of politicians (albeit a couple of years older than Bruton) but had been a TD for 12 years fewer. Bruton was seen as a throwback to Fine Gael's Christian Democrat tradition, whereas Dukes was in FitzGerald's Social Democratic mould. Dukes was perceived to be a lacklustre leader however, who alienated his party's TDs and made little progress in recovering the ground lost by Fine Gael in 1987. The disastrous performance in the 1990 Presidential Election in which the party finished a humiliating and unprecedented third in a national election,^[2] proved to be the final straw for the party and Dukes forced to resign as leader shortly after.^[3] Bruton, who was the deputy-leader of Fine Gael at the time, was unopposed in the ensuing leadership election. The Irish general election of 1987 was held on February 17, 1987, four weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on January 20. ... Alan Dukes (born April 20, 1945) is an Irish politician, a former leader of the Fine Gael political party and former TD for Kildare South. ... Peter Barry (Irish: ; born August 10, 1928) is a retired Irish Fine Gael politician and businessman. ... Christian Democracy is a political ideology, born at the end of the 19th century, largely as a result of the papal encyclical Rerum Novarum of Pope Leo XIII, in which the Vatican recognizes workers misery and agrees that something should be done about it, in reaction to the rise of... Social democracy is a political ideology emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from supporters of Marxism who believed that the transition to a socialist society could be achieved through democratic evolutionary rather than revolutionary means. ... In the Irish presidential election in 1990 the Irish Labour Party let it be known that it would for the first time run a candidate. ...

Career in opposition (1990–1994)

Whereas Dukes came from the left wing of Fine Gael, Bruton came from the more conservative wing. However to the surprise of critics and of conservatives, in his first policy initiative he called for the introduction of divorce to Ireland.

Fine Gael had been in decline for nearly a decade; from the highpoint of the November 1982 general election when it achieved 70 seats in Dáil Éireann, only five seats short of Fianna Fáil's total^[4] the party had lost a considerable number of seats. Following the inexperienced Dukes' disastrous period of leadership, Bruton's election was seen as offering Fine Gael a chance to rebuild under a far more politically experienced albeit less photogenic and less popular leader. However Bruton's perceived right wing persona and his rural background was used against him by critics and particularly by the media. He was also overshadowed by longterm Labour leader Dick Spring. The Irish general election of November 1982 was held on November 24, 1982, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on November 4. ... Richard Spring (born August 29, 1950 in Tralee County Kerry), is a businessman and former senior Irish politician. ...

By the 1992 general election, the anti-Fianna Fáil mood in the country produced a major swing to the opposition, but that support went to Labour, not Bruton's Fine Gael, which actually lost a further 10 seats. To the astonishment of many the electorate and most of the media, who had voted for or backed Labour to get Fianna Fáil out of power, Labour chose to enter into a new coalition with Fianna Fáil. It was a humiliating blow to Bruton, and was seen as an act of revenge on him by Dick Spring, with whom he had had a strained relationship in government. Fine Gael, and Bruton personally, continued to perform poorly in opinion polls throughout 1993 and early 1994 and Bruton narrowly survived a challenge to his leadership in early 1994. However a couple of by-election victories, and a good performance in the 1994 European Elections, coupled with a disastrous showing by Labour, shored up his position. When in late 1994 the government collapsed, Bruton was able to form a government with Labour and Democratic Left, a small left-wing party. On 15 December, aged 47, Bruton became the then youngest ever Taoiseach. The Irish general election of 1992 was held on Wednesday, November 25, 1992, almost three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on November 5. ... Democratic Left was a socialist political party active primsrily in the Republic of Ireland, but also in Northern Ireland between 1992 and 1999. ... December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Taoiseach (plural: Taoisigh) is the head of government or prime minister of the Republic of Ireland. ...

Taoiseach 1994–1997

Bruton's politics were markedly different to most Irish leaders. Whereas most leaders had come from or identified with the independence movement Sinn Féin (in its 1917-22 phase), Bruton identified more with the more moderate Irish Parliamentary Party tradition that Sinn Féin had eclipsed in the 1918 general election. He hung a picture of his political hero, the IIP's leader John Redmond on a wall in his office as taoiseach, in preference to other figures like Patrick Pearse. But as evidence of Bruton's complexity, he also kept a picture of former Fianna Fáil Taoiseach Sean Lemass which had been hung there by Reynolds, and which Bruton kept because he viewed Lemass as the best and most reforming Taoiseach in the history of the state. For pre-Arthur Griffith use of the political name, see Sinn Féin (19th century). ... The Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP) (commonly called the Irish Party) was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament (MPs) elected to the House of Commons at Westminster within the... The Irish general election of 1918 was that part of the 1918 United Kingdom general election that took place in Ireland. ... John Redmond, MP John Edward Redmond (September 1, 1856 – March 6, 1918) was the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party from 1900 to 1918. ... Padraig Pearse Patrick Henry Pearse (known to Irish nationalists as Pádraig Pearse; Irish name: Pádraig Anraí Mac Piarais; 10 November 1879 – 3 May 1916) was a teacher, poet, writer, nationalist and political activist who was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916. ... ...

Bruton's Rainbow Coalition was generally perceived to be a good government, with Bruton, who was initially the most unpopular of modern political leaders and who was meant to have had a bad relationship with Tánaiste Dick Spring, being seen as its star performer.^[5] His popularity soared while he and Spring (along with Proinsias De Rossa, leader of DL) were seen as an effective team. His government ensured the passage of a constitutional amendment to allow for the introduction of divorce. Bruton also presided over the first official visit by a member of the British Royal Family, the Prince of Wales since 1912, though Bruton's comments (which were seen as too obsequious not only by Irish people but referred to as 'embarrassingly effusive' by The Times of London and inspired a leader in The Guardian requesting that he get a grip on his 'extravagantly nonsensical attitudes') during the visit overshadowed it somewhat.^[6] The Tánaiste (IPA: ; plural Tánaistí ), or, more formally, An Tánaiste[1], is the deputy prime minister of the Republic of Ireland. ... Members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour ceremony The British Royal Family is a shared royal family. ... The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George[2]; born 14 November 1948), is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. ... The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom since 1785, and under its current name since 1788. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ...

Continued developments in the Northern Ireland peace process and his attitude to Anglo-Irish relations came to define Bruton's tenure as Taoiseach. In February 1995 he launched the Anglo-Irish ‘Framework Document’ with the British Prime Minister, John Major. This document outlined new proposed relations between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Many of Bruton's opponents considered him to be too willing to accommodate unionist demands (in one famous Freudian slip, Albert Reynolds referred to him as "John Unionist"). However, he took a strongly critical position on the British Government's reluctance to engage with Sinn Féin during the IRA's 1994–1997 ceasefire. By April 1995, he told a reporter he was "sick of answering questions about the fucking peace process". Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the United Kingdom. ... Sir John Major, KG, CH, PC (born 29 March 1943) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the British Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. ... Anthem (Irish) The Soldiers Song Republic of Ireland() – on the European continent() – in the European Union() [] Capital (and largest city) Dublin Official languages Irish, English Government Republic and Parliamentary Democracy  -  President Mary McAleese  -  Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, TD Independence from the United Kingdom   -  Declared 24 April 1916   -  Ratified 21 January... In the context of Irish politics, Unionists are people in Northern Ireland, who wish to see the continuation of the Act of Union 1800, as amended by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, under which Northern Ireland, created in that latter Act, remains part of the United Kingdom of Great... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Lapsus. ... The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. ... For pre-Arthur Griffith use of the political name, see Sinn Féin (19th century). ... This article is about the historical army of the self-proclaimed Irish Republic (1919–1922) which fought in the Irish War of Independence 1919–21, and the Irish Civil War 1922–23. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... When discussing the history of Northern Ireland, the peace process is generally considered to cover the events leading up to the 1994 IRA ceasefire, the end of most of the violence of The Troubles, the Belfast (or Good Friday) Agreement, and subsequent political developments. ...

Bruton also established a working relationship with Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin, however, the relationship became frayed following the ending of the ceasefire in 1996, resulting in a bomb explosion in London. These relations worsened when the IRA killed Jerry McCabe, a member of the Garda, in a post office robbery in County Limerick, and another bomb explosion in Manchester. Bruton resisted advice to end all talks with Sinn Féin, though he continued to be one of their most vocal critics and advocated another IRA ceasefire before Sinn Féin would be allowed join all-party talks. Bruton received widespread praise in the Republic for condemning the Royal Ulster Constabulary for yielding to loyalist threats at Drumcree by allowing members of the Orange Order parade through a nationalist district. He stated that they had been neither impartial nor consistent in applying the law. His outrage and criticism led to a tense atmosphere regarding relations between London and Dublin. Gerard Adams (Irish Gearóid Mac Ádhaimh[1]; born 6 October 1948) is an Irish Republican politician and abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. ... For pre-Arthur Griffith use of the political name, see Sinn Féin (19th century). ... The South Quay bombing (also known as the Docklands bombing) on February 9, 1996, was one of the most significant Provisional Irish Republican Army terrorist attacks during the 1990s, as it caused severe damage to a significant part of the East London Docklands financial development and brought an end to... Jerry McCabe was a member of the Garda Siochana, the police force of the Republic of Ireland. ... A member of the motorcycle unit of the Garda Síochána. ... Statistics Province: Munster County Town: Limerick Code: LK Area: 2,686 km² Population (2006) 183,863 (including Limerick City); 131,303 (without Limerick City) Website: www. ... The devastation on Corporation Street after the bombing. ... For pre-Arthur Griffith use of the political name, see Sinn Féin (19th century). ... The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Portadown (Port an Dúnáin in Irish) is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. ... The Orange Institution, more commonly known as the Orange Order, is a Protestant fraternal organisation based predominantly in Northern Ireland and Scotland with lodges throughout the Commonwealth and in the United States. ... An Irish nationalist is generally one who seeks (greater) independence of Ireland from Great Britain, including since 1921 the goal of a United Ireland. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Leinster County: Dáil Éireann: Dublin Central, Dublin North Central, Dublin North East, Dublin North West, Dublin South Central, Dublin South East European Parliament: Dublin Dialling Code: 01, +353 1 Postal District(s): D1-24, D6W Area: 114. ...

Bruton came to power at a time when Ireland's economy was achieving substantial growth. With the Celtic Tiger in its infancy the standard of living increased dramatically. In the year before he took office (1993) the Irish economy grew by 2.7%. During his time as Taoiseach, the Irish economy grew at an annual average rate of 8.7%, peaking at 11.1% in 1997. Cartoon of the Celtic Tiger. ...

He also presided over a successful Irish EU Presidency in 1996 and helped finalize the Stability and Growth Pact, which governs the management of the single European currency, the Euro. Mr. Bruton addressed a joint session of the US Congress on September 11, 1996, as only the 30th head of state or government of an EU country to do so since 1945.

Constitutional reform was also on the government's agenda when a referendum to abolish the prohibition on divorce was passed by a narrow majority. The government was not devoid of scandal. In 1996 his Minister for Transport, Michael Lowry, resigned from the Cabinet after allegations that he accepted payments from the supermarket tycoon, Ben Dunne. The scandal initially threatened Bruton, however it was Fianna Fáil that eventually fell foul when the tribunals were set up. Michael Lowry is a Republic of Ireland politician. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Post-Taoiseach period

John Bruton as EU Ambassador presents his Letter of Credence to the President of the United States.]] The government was widely expected to win re-election in 1997. However, the public had never forgiven Labour for going into coalition with Fianna Fáil in 1992, and while Fine Gael gained nine seats, Labour was severely mauled, losing 16 seats and leaving the coalition far short of the parliamentary support it needed to retain office. A Fianna Fáil / Progressive Democrat coalition led by Bertie Ahern came into power, with Bruton reverting to leadership of the opposition. A Letter of Credence is a formal letter sent by one head of state to another formally accrediting a named individual (usually but not always a diplomat) to be their ambassador in the country of the head of state receiving the letter of credence. ... The presidential seal was first used in 1880 by President Rutherford B. Hayes and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... Patrick Bartholomew Ahern (known as Bertie Ahern, Irish: ; born 12 September 1951 in Dublin) is an Irish politician. ...

Fine Gael sunk into paralysis in opposition. Fearing that the party would face collapse, he was deposed from leadership in 2001. However the new leader Michael Noonan failed to live up to expectations and the party's ratings fell to a far worse extent than had been expected under Bruton. Having gone into the election expecting to increase its seat numbers from 54 to 60, instead it collapsed, winning a mere 31, 39 seats less than at its highpoint twenty years earlier in 1982. Michael Noonan (Irish: ; born 21 May 1943) is an Irish politician and was Leader of the Opposition and Leader of Fine Gael from February 2001 to June 2002. ...

Bruton, a passionate supporter of European integration, was chosen as one of the two Irish Parliament Representatives to the European Convention which helped draft the proposed European Constitution. He was one of two National Parliament Representatives to sit on the 12-member Praesidium, which helped steer the European Convention. He is a member of the Comite d'Honneur of the Institute of European Affairs, along with Peter Sutherland and Bertie Ahern. He accepted an offer to become European Union ambassador to the United States in the summer of 2004, and after resigning from the Dáil on 31 October 2004, he assumed that office. As a former head of government and native English speaker, his appointment is seen as a strategic choice in improving transatlantic relations. European integration is the process of political and economic (and in some cases social and cultural) integration of European states into a tighter bloc. ... The European Convention, sometimes known as the Convention on the Future of Europe, was a body established by the European Council in December 2001 as a result of the Laeken Declaration. ... The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, commonly referred to as the European Constitution, is an international treaty intended to create a constitution for the European Union. ... The European Convention, sometimes known as the Convention on the Future of Europe, was a body established by the European Council in December 2001 as a result of the Laeken Declaration. ... Logo of the Institute of European Affairs The Institute of European Affairs website is a policy research think-tank and forum based in Dublin (with a branch in Brussels). ... Peter Denis Sutherland (born April 25, 1946) is an Irish businessman and former politician, associated with the Fine Gael party. ... Patrick Bartholomew Ahern (known as Bertie Ahern, Irish: ; born 12 September 1951 in Dublin) is an Irish politician. ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

John Bruton on lecture tour at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut.

On his appointment, Bruton was praised by Ahern, who said Bruton had played "a pivotal role in developing Ireland’s relations with the European Union."^[7] Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and masters level university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. ...

He became an Honorary Patron of the University Philosophical Society before leaving for the US in 2004. He regularly lectures at national and international universities. In early 2004 he accepted a position as Adjunct Faculty Member in the School of Law and Government at Dublin City University. The University Philosophical Society (commonly known as The Phil) was founded in 1853, although it claims two predecessor societies. ... Dublin City University (DCU) is a university situated between Glasnevin and Whitehall on the Northside of Dublin in Ireland. ...

His brother, Richard Bruton, is the current deputy leader of Fine Gael. Richard Bruton (born 1 March 1953) is a Fine Gael politician in Ireland, and has been a Teachta Dála for Dublin North Central since 1982. ...

Government

• 24th Government of Ireland (December 1994–June 1997)

The 27th Dáil was elected on November 25, 1992 but didnt meet until the new year when the 23rd Government of Ireland was appointed. ...

Footnotes

1. ^ Different reports suggested that either Barry or Bruton came a poor third.
2. ^ Fine Gael candidate Austin Currie finished a poor third with 17%, behind Labour's Mary Robinson and Fianna Fáil's Brian Lenihan.
3. ^ Fergus Finlay, Mary Robinson: A President with a Purpose (O'Brien Press, 1990) pp 145-146.
4. ^ Fianna Fáil since 1932 had been by far the bigger of the two parties, often with double the number of Dáil seats of Fine Gael.
5. ^ Bruton's radio interview in the final week of the referendum on divorce in 1996 was seen as tipping the scales in favour of a yes vote. The referendum was narrowly won by the yes side.
6. ^ Mary Holland, 'Princely Welcome Masks an Uncertain Ease' in The Irish Times, June 1995
7. ^ The Irish Voice.

Austin Currie (born 11 October 1939) is a former Irish politician, being elected to the parliaments of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. ... Mary Robinson (Irish name Máire Mhic Róibín; born 21 May 1944) was the first female President of Ireland, serving from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. ... Brian Lenihan (17 November 1930 - 1 November 1995) was a Irish Fianna Fáil politician. ... It has been suggested that Irish Times Trust be merged into this article or section. ... Shortcut: WP:-( Vandalism is indisputable bad-faith addition, deletion, or change to content, made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the encyclopedia. ... Shortcut: WP:-( Vandalism is indisputable bad-faith addition, deletion, or change to content, made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the encyclopedia. ...

Political career