LEADER DEAD
John Bruton dead – Ex-Fine Gael Taoiseach dies at 76 after ‘long illness’ as family issue emotional statement
His family has paid tribute to a 'true patriot'
FORMER Taoiseach John Bruton has died aged 76 following a long illness.
The ex-Fine Gael leader passed away this morning surrounded by his loving family.
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Bruton was first elected to the Dail to represent Meath in 1969 and became leader of Fine Gael in 1990.
Bruton was Taoiseach between 1994 and 1997, leading a rainbow coalition of Fine Gael, Labour and Democratic Left.
At the time, he was the youngest ever leader of the country.
Bruton led Fine Gael until January 2001, and after being re-elected to the Dail in 2002, he resigned his seat in 2004 and was appointed as EU Ambassador to the United States.
Announcing his death, the family said: "It is with deep sadness we wish to announce the death of former Taoiseach John Bruton.
"He died peacefully in the Mater Private Hospital in Dublin, surrounded by his loving family, early this morning following a long illness.
"He was a good husband, a good father and a true patriot. We will miss him greatly.
"John is survived by his wife, Finola, son Matthew and daughters; Juliana, Emily and Mary-Elizabeth, grandchildren, sons-in-law, his brother, Richard and sister, Mary, nieces, nephews, many cousins and extended family."
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Tributes started to pour in shortly after the news of Mr Bruton's passing broke.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he was "devastated".
He added: "John was one of the reasons I became involved in politics and joined Fine Gael.
"He was always encouraging and supportive on a personal level, from my time in Young Fine Gael to my time as Taoiseach.
"We kept in touch and his knowledge and experience were particularly helpful during Brexit and during coalition negotiations.
"We last spoke just before Christmas when he was unable to attend the Council of State due to his illness. I spoke to his wife Finola and brother Richard this morning to pass on my condolences.
'WELL-LIKED AND RESPECTED'
"John was doer and a philosopher. He was passionately pro-European in Government and in Opposition, and was well-liked and respected among colleagues in Europe and in the European People’s Party in which he served as Vice-President. He knew that Ireland’s place and destiny was at the heart of Europe and made the case for it eloquently.
"On the North, he strongly opposed violence as a means to advance political objectives and believed in unity through consent. He made a particular effort to reach out to the Unionist community. He advocated a new patriotism and opposed narrow nationalism. While these views are now held by the majority of people, that was not always the case and he was willing to lead, even when it meant going against the grain.
"John believed in an enterprise economy and responsible management of the public finances. I am convinced that the decisions made by the ‘Rainbow’ Government which he led from 1994 to 1997, comprising Fine Gael, Labour and Democratic Left, laid the foundation for much of the economic prosperity we have enjoyed since.
"A believer in individual rights and responsibilities and social justice, John was born from the Christian Democratic tradition of European and Irish politics. He was conservative but always compassionate and caring. He played a crucial role in the Divorce Referendum of 1995 in convincing middle-ground voters to vote Yes in what was a very tight referendum.
"Above all, I believe John Bruton possessed real dignity and imbued compassion and patriotism. The whole Fine Gael family mourns his loss, and he will always be remembered for his service to our Party and to the Irish State."
Tanaiste Micheal Martin said John Bruton was a "committed politician full of ideas and energy".
In a statement, Mr Martin said: "It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of John Bruton.
"A committed politician full of ideas and energy, John worked tirelessly for peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland.
"A passionate European and clear about Ireland's place in the EU, John believed in public service and was a true patriot.
"My deepest sympathies to his wife Finola and all the Bruton family."
Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said John Bruton was one of the "decent" and "genuine" people.
"My view of John is that he was a gentleman," Mr Ahern told RTE after Mr Bruton's death was announced.
'NOT A BAD WORD TO SAY'
He added: "He was always the private man. He was leader of the House in government, and I was leader of the House in opposition, way back in the early '80s.
"I worked with them on so many issues over so many years. We got on very well.
"I considered him one of the decent people. His involvement in the North (Northern Ireland) was always genuine.
"He was a totally genuine person and always acted in the interests of the people of the country, of the people of need and I wouldn't have a bad word to say about John Bruton."
Former UK prime minister John Major paid tribute to the "brave" and "formidable" former politician.
He said: "I was shocked to learn of the loss of John Bruton.
"He was a brave and talented Taoiseach who contributed mightily to the early days of the peace process.
"In testing circumstances, he put peace above political self-interest to progress the path towards the end of violence.
'FORMIDABLE SERVANT'
"He was a formidable servant of the Irish nation and of peace, and I am deeply saddened at his passing."
Justice Minister Helen McEntee said it is a sad day for politics and for the Bruton family.
She added: "It is very sad news. He was such a big figure for so many people but most importantly for his family, and I really want to just offer my deepest condolences to them.
"He's someone that has been such a strong presence in politics for so many years, but particularly in Meath.
"It's something that I experienced and have witnessed over the many years, just how well he was loved and how many people knew him and how many people felt they knew him, even if they had never met him.
"I think it's because of the way in which he worked and the way in which he engaged with people no matter what position he was in, whether it was Taoiseach, whether it was leader of Fine Gael, or whether it was ambassador to the US, he always had time to stop and to talk to people and to talk about the big and the small issues.
'SAD DAY FOR POLITICS'
"So it's a sad, sad day for politics, most importantly for his family."
Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald said: "I wish to extend sympathies to the family, friends and Fine Gael colleagues of former Taoiseach John Bruton.
"John gave many decades of service to the State and to his party. I extend, on behalf of Sinn Féin, my condolences.
"Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam."
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill also expressed her condolences to the family.
Speaking in the Assembly, she said: "I want to pass on my condolences to the family of former taoiseach John Bruton, who we've just been notified has sadly passed away.
"To his family and friends, we send them our condolences at this very sad time."
Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly said he was "very saddened to hear about the passing of my good friend and former Taoiseach".
He added: "My heart goes out to his family. He was a gentleman and one of the best politicians our country has had. May he rest in peace."
HOW BRUTON ROSE UP POLITICAL RANKS
John Bruton's political career has taken him from a TD in the 1960s to an ambassador for the European Union in the new millennium.
Mr Bruton was first elected as a TD in Meath in 1969 and held that position in the Dail until 2004, when he retired from Irish politics.
He served in several ministries in the 1980s, including as Finance Minister from 1981 to 1982 and 1986 to 1987.
He then became leader of Fine Gael in 1990, a position he held until 2001.
Mr Bruton most famously served as Taoiseach from 1994 to 1997 as leader of the 'Rainbow Coalition' with Labour and the Democratic Left.
He was the youngest-ever leader of the country at the time.
Mr Bruton was left short of the Dail support he needed after the 1997 election and he resigned, later losing the leadership of Fine Gael to Michael Noonan in 2001.
From 2004 to 2009, he served as Ambassador of the EU to the US, before retiring from politics in general to become chairman of IFSC Ireland.
Former Fine Gael deputy leader and Justice Minister Norah Owen said Bruton always thought about what was good for Ireland and the children of Ireland.
She told RTE's Today with Colm O Mongain: "He would come up in the morning, early and say, I thought about this last night, I thought about this yesterday, and we've got to do this and we've got to do that.
"And he would set about to try and make improvements to our lives.
"He was always on the go, he never stopped thinking and refining and revising policy."
Current Dail Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail TD said: "I was saddened to learn of the passing of John Bruton and on behalf of the Houses of the Oireachtas pass on my deepest sympathies to his wife, Finola, children, Matthew, Juliana, Emily and Mary-Elizabeth, grandchildren, sister Mary, and his brother and our colleague in Dáil Éireann, Deputy Richard Bruton.
"John Bruton gave nearly four decades of dedicated service to the people of Ireland as a Member of the Dail from his first election in 1969 to his retirement in 2005.
"As a TD, Minister and ultimately Taoiseach, John brought total commitment to democracy, absolute integrity to politics and dedication to public service. This will be his legacy.
"Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal."
In 2022, Bruton discussed how Bill Clinton played a huge role in bringing peace to this island.
Bruton previously told the Irish Sun: “I remember acknowledging to the President when I visited him in 1995, the first visit, the role that he had played in providing the IRA and Sinn Fein with a sort of ladder of which they could climb towards peace by the granting of the visas to Adams to go to Washington.
“I was previously opposed to that but I acknowledged that he was right and I was wrong there.”
PEACE PROCESS
Bruton and later Bertie Ahern went on to develop a strong relationship with President Clinton that became essential to the peace process in Northern Ireland, knowing that they only had to pick up the phone to get access to the commander in chief.
The former Fine Gael leader said: “I think the fact that we did establish a good relationship with Bill Clinton which was obviously created by my predecessor Albert Reynolds and continued by my successor Bertie Ahern, that was very, very important at those crucial moments.
“He was willing to put on pressure in order to get people to move and I suggested to him that Senator George Mitchell be appointed as an intermediary and he was an ideal intermediary.
“In the way that he would put someone as senior as George Mitchell into a job like this when I asked him was testament to the very deep interests he had in Ireland.
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“I remember also being at a summit on terrorism and he was at the next table with a group of Arab kings and I was at a separate table but I could over hear the conversation at the other table and it was Bill Clinton explaining the intricacies of the Irish peace process at length to the various Arab kings.
“It just shows you that he really got it.”
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