Government of the 25th Dáil

The Government of the 25th Dáil or the 20th Government of Ireland (10 March 1987 – 12 July 1989) was the government of Ireland formed after the 1987 general election on 17 February 1987. It was a minority Fianna Fáil government which had the qualified support of Fine Gael, the main opposition party, an arrangement known as the Tallaght Strategy after a speech by its leader Alan Dukes. The national debt had doubled under the previous government. The government introduced budget cuts in all departments. The taxation system was also reformed. One of the major schemes put forward was the establishment of the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in Dublin. During this period the Government organised the 1,000-year anniversary of the founding of Dublin.[1]

Government of the 25th Dáil
20th Government of Ireland
Date formed	10 March 1987
Date dissolved	12 July 1989
People and organisations
President	Patrick Hillery
Taoiseach	Charles Haughey
Tánaiste	Brian Lenihan
Total no. of members	15
Member parties	Fianna Fáil
Status in legislature	Minority Government
Opposition party	Fine Gael
Opposition leader	Alan Dukes
History
Election(s)	1987 general election
Legislature term(s)	25th Dáil 18th Seanad
Predecessor	19th Government
Successor	21st Government

The 20th Government lasted 842 days from its appointment until resignation, and continued to carry out its duties for a further 13 days until the appointment of its successor.

20th Government of Ireland

Nomination of Taoiseach

The members of the 25th Dáil first met on 10 March 1987. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, leader of Fine Gael and outgoing Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald, leader of Fianna Fáil Charles Haughey, and leader of the Progressive Democrats Desmond O'Malley were each proposed.[2] FitzGerald was defeated with 51 votes in favour to 114 against, while there was an equal number of votes of 82 cast in favour and against Haughey. The proposal was carried on the casting vote of the Ceann Comhairle. Haughey was then appointed as Taoiseach by president Patrick Hillery.[3]

20 March 1987 Nomination of Taoiseach vote for Charles Haughey (FF)[4] Motion proposed by Brian Lenihan and seconded by Gerry Collins Absolute majority: 84/166
Vote	Parties	Votes
Yes	Fianna Fáil (81), Independent Fianna Fáil (1)	82 / 166
No	Fine Gael (51), Progressive Democrats (14), Labour Party (12), Workers' Party (4), Democratic Socialist Party (1)	82 / 166
Not voting	Independent (1)	1 / 166
Ceann Comhairle Seán Treacy exercised his casting vote in favour of the nomination of Haughey.

Members of the Government

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Haughey proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[3][5] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[6]

Office	Name		Term
Taoiseach		Charles Haughey	1987–89
Minister for the Gaeltacht
Tánaiste		Brian Lenihan	1987–89
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Agriculture and Food[lower-alpha 1]		Michael O'Kennedy	1987–89
Minister for Communications		John Wilson	1987
Minister for Defence		Michael J. Noonan	1987–89
Minister for Education		Mary O'Rourke	1987–89
Minister for Energy		Ray Burke	1987–88
Minister for the Environment		Pádraig Flynn	1987–89
Minister for Finance		Ray MacSharry	1987–88
Minister for the Public Service[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3]			1987
Minister for Health		Rory O'Hanlon	1987–89
Minister for Industry and Commerce		Albert Reynolds	1987–88
Minister for Justice		Gerry Collins	1987–89
Minister for Labour		Bertie Ahern	1987–89
Minister for the Marine[lower-alpha 4]		Brendan Daly	1987–89
Minister for Social Welfare		Michael Woods	1987–89
Changes 31 March 1987 Re-assignment of roles.[11]
Office	Name		Term
Minister for Communications		Ray Burke	1987–89
Minister for Tourism and Transport[lower-alpha 5]		John Wilson	1987–89
Changes 24 November 1988 Following the appointment of Ray MacSharry as European Commissioner.[13][14]
Office	Name		Term
Minister for Finance		Albert Reynolds	1988–89
Minister for Industry and Commerce		Ray Burke	1988–89
Minister for Energy		Michael Smith	1988–89

Changes to Departments

1. The Department of Agriculture was renamed the Department of Agriculture and Food on 31 March 1987.[7]
2. The functions of the Department of the Public Service were transferred to the Department of Finance on 19 March 1987.[8]
3. The Department of the Public Service was renamed the Department of Tourism and Transport on 20 March 1987.[9][6]
4. The Department of Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry was renamed the Department of the Marine with effect from 19 March 1987.[10][6]
5. Transport was transferred from the Department of Communications on 31 March 1987.[12]

Attorney General

On 10 March 1987 John L. Murray SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[3][6]

Ministers of State

On 10 March 1987, the Government appointed Vincent Brady, Michael Smith, Joe Walsh, Séamus Brennan, Seán McCarthy and Séamus Kirk as Ministers of State on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[3] On 12 March 1987, the Government appointed the other Ministers of State on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[6]

Name		Department	Responsibility
	Vincent Brady	Taoiseach	Government Chief Whip
		Defence
	Michael Smith	Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry
	Joe Walsh	Agriculture and Food
	Séamus Brennan	Industry and Commerce
	Seán McCarthy	Industry and Commerce
	Séamus Kirk	Agriculture and Food
	Máire Geoghegan-Quinn	Taoiseach	EEC matters and Government policy
	Noel Treacy	Finance
	Pat "the Cope" Gallagher	Marine
	Denis Lyons	Marine
	Denis Gallagher	Gaeltacht
	Ger Connolly	Environment
	Seán Calleary	Foreign Affairs
	Terry Leyden	Health
	Frank Fahey	Education
Changes 31 March 1987 Changes of ministerial functions.[11]
Name		Department	Responsibility
	Michael Smith	Energy	Science and Technology
	Denis Lyons	Tourism and Transport
Changes 30 June 1988 New position created.
Name		Department	Responsibility
	Noel Treacy	Taoiseach	Heritage Affairs
Changes 25 November 1988 On appointment of Michael Smith as Minister for Energy.[14]
Name		Department	Responsibility
	Liam Aylward	Energy

Government policy

Economy

See also: Economic history of the Republic of Ireland

The 20th government passed three budgets through the 1987, 1988 and 1989 Finance Acts The Finance minister Ray MacSharry committed himself to bringing order to the public finances and the poor economic situation. His cutting of state spending earned him the nickname Mack the Knife.

During this time he came to be identified as Haughey's heir apparent as Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader. MacSharry, however wanted to leave politics by the time he was forty-five. He was fifty and had achieved some of the highest offices in the Irish government. In 1988 MacSharry was appointed European Commissioner, ending his domestic political career.

The Minister for Industry and Commerce Albert Reynolds blocked the hostile takeover of Irish Distillers by Grand Metropolitan. The company was eventually sold to Pernod Ricard for $440 million.[15]

Health

During this period major industrial action was taken by junior doctors. 1,800 doctors went on strike to protest their lack of job security and the governments cuts to the health budget.[16]

During this period a large number of haemophiliacs contracted HIV and Hepatitis C from contaminated blood products supplied by the Blood Transfusion Service Board.

Justice

In 1988 the Irish Prison officers association went on strike. The government had to use 1,000 Gardaí and 300 soldiers to guard the prisons.[17]

Northern Ireland

See also: The Troubles

During this period the government faced serious difficulties dealing with Northern Ireland and the IRA. After the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement Relations improved between the Republic and Britain. However, there were tensions between the governments over the imprisonment of the Birmingham Six and the apparent shoot-to-kill policy in Northern Ireland policy of the security forces in Northern Ireland. Formal protest was made by the government following the Loughgall ambush where eight IRA members and a civilian were killed by a SAS unit.[18]

Relations improved with the extradition of Paul Kane. His appeal to the justice minister for freedom was rejected. Kane escaped from the Maze Prison in 1983 after being convicted of firearm offences.[19]

During this period the IRA managed to smuggle a gun into the Four Courts in an attempted prison escape.[20]

Constitutional amendment

On 26 May 1987 the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland was approved by referendum. This permitted the state to ratify the Single European Act.

Dissolution and resignation

On 25 May 1989, the president dissolved the Dáil on the advice of Haughey.[21] The general election was held on 15 June, the same date as the European Parliament election.

The members of the 26th Dáil first met on 26 June 1989. The Dáil did not successfully nominate anyone for the position of Taoiseach on that day, with Charles Haughey, Alan Dukes and Dick Spring being defeated.[22] This was the first time that this occurred on the first sitting of the Dáil after a general election. Haughey resigned as Taoiseach on 29 June but under the provisions of Article 28.11 of the Constitution, the members of the government continued to carry out their duties until their successors were appointed.[23] The 21st Government of Ireland was formed on 12 July 1989 as a coalition between Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats, with Charles Haughey again serving as Taoiseach.

See also

• Dáil Éireann
• Constitution of Ireland
• Politics of the Republic of Ireland

References

1. Clines, Francis X. (14 December 1987). "Dublin Journal; At Age 1,000, the City Claps Its Hands and Sings". New York Times.
2. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (25th Dáil) – Tuesday, 10 March 1987". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
3. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government – Dáil Éireann (25th Dáil) – Tuesday, 10 March 1987". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
4. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Votes – Dáil Éireann (25th Dáil) – Tuesday, 10 March 1987". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
5. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government (Resumed) – Dáil Éireann (25th Dáil) – Tuesday, 10 March 1987". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
6. "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (25th Dáil) – Tuesday, 24 March 1987". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
7. "Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1987". Irish Statute Book. 31 March 1987. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
8. "Public Service (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1987". Irish Statute Book. 19 March 1987. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
9. "Public Service (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1987". Irish Statute Book. 19 March 1987. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
10. "Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1987". Irish Statute Book. 19 March 1987. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
11. "Transfer of Ministerial Functions: Announcement by Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (25th Dáil) – Tuesday, 1 April 1987". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
12. "Communications (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 1987". Irish Statute Book. 31 March 1987. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
13. "Nomination of Member of Government: Motion – Dáil Éireann (25th Dáil) – Thursday, 24 November 1988". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
14. "Appointment and Assignment of Ministers: Announcement by Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (25th Dáil) – Thursday, 24 November 1988". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
15. "Irish distillers takeover". Providence Journal. 25 November 1988.
16. Anchorage Daily News, 14 June 1987
17. Eugene Register, 9 May 1988
18. The Glasgow Herald, 3 February 1988
19. The Glasgow Herald, 12 April 1989
20. The Glasgow Herald, 21 July 1988
21. "Announcement by Taoiseach Regarding Dissolution of Dáil – Dáil Éireann (25th Dáil) – Thursday, 25 May 1989". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
22. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (26th Dáil) – Thursday, 29 June 1989". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
23. "Statement by Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (26th Dáil) – Thursday, 29 June 1989". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 16 February 2020.