Albert Reynolds Early Life Political Life Taoiseach 1992 1994

**An Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, T.D**

Rank:	8th Taoiseach
First Term:	February 11February 11 is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 323 days remaining, 324 in leap years. Events through 1799 660 BC Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu Tenno. 731 Gregory II ends his reign as Pope. 824 Paschal I 1992 - December 15December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 16 days remaining. Events 687 St. Sergius I becomes Pope 1702 Forty-seven ronin, formerly in the service of Asano Naganori, assault the household of Kira Y 1994
Predecessor:	Charles HaugheyCharles James Haughey (born September 16, 1925) was the sixth Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland. He served three periods as Taoiseach: from 1979 to 1981, from March to December 1982, and from 1987 to 1992. He was first elected as a Fianna Fail TD in 19
Successor:	John BrutonJohn Bruton (born May 18, 1947) was the ninth Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland from 1994 to 1997, leading a Fine Gael- Labour- Democratic Left Rainbow Coalition. Bruton has been a Fine Gael TD since 1969 and has served as Minister for Finance (1981-19
Date of Birth:	ThursdayThursday is the day of the week between Wednesday and Friday. Its name is derived from the name of the Norse/ Germanic god Thor. By some conventions (see ISO 8601), the Thursdays of a year determine the week numbering: week 1 is defined as the week that c, November 3 1932
Place of Birth:	Roscommon, Ireland
Profession:	Businessman
Political Party:	Fianna Fáil
Tánaiste:	John Wilson ( 1992- 1993) Dick Spring ( 1993- 1994)

1 Early Life

Albert Reynolds was born on 3 November 1932 in County Roscommon. He was educated in Sligo at Summerhill College. He became involved in dancehall promotion and also founded a pet-food company. He also had business interests in local newspapers and a cinema. He became interested in politics following the 'Arms Trial' of 1970 (which saw Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney acquitted of importing arms into the country illegally). Reynolds was an elected TD for Fianna Fáil in the party's landslide victory in 1977.

2 Political Life

He became a Minister under Charles Haughey, serving as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (now called Communications) and Minister for Transport and Power. In 1987 Haughey became Taoiseach once again and Reynolds became Minister for Industery and Commerce. In 1988 he was promoted to the Minister for Finance. He resigned from the post in November 1991 following a failed attempt to oust Haughey as leader. The following year Haughey resigned as party leader and Albert Reynolds became the fifth leader of Fianna Fáil and Taoiseach.

3 Taoiseach 1992-1994

Reynolds presided over two cabinets;

1992: a Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition, which collapsed over comments made by Reynolds in the witness stand during the Hamilton Inquiry into the Beef Industry about PD leader and longtime critic of Reynolds, Desmond O'Malley, TD. Fianna Fáil suffered one of its worst ever electoral results in the following general election. They were expected to go into opposition, but ended up to the electorate's surprise back in government, in a coalition arrangement with Labour under Dick Spring.

1993-94: The Fianna Fáil-Labour coalition proved a difficult arrangement. It finally collapsed following Reynolds' decision, in the face of outright Labour opposition, to appoint Attorney-General Harry Whelehan, to become President of the High Court. It was revealed that the Attorney-General's office had mis-handled an attempt to extradite a paedophile Roman Catholic priest, Fr. Brendan Smyth. Reynolds was forced to go before Dáil Éireann and indicate that if he had known 'then' what he "knew now" about the incompetent handling of the case by the AG's office he would not have appointed Whelehan to the judicial post. However it was not enough. Labour resigned from government. Reynolds resigned as party leader and was replaced by his Minister for Finance, Bertie Ahern (Ahern became leader after Máire Geoghegan-Quinn withdrew from the leadership contest). But Ahern's attempts to form a new government failed, with Labour joining with two opposition parties, Fine Gael and Democratic Left, to form a new government.

In office, perhaps Reynolds' biggest achievement was in the Northern Peace Process, where he played a crucial role in securing an IRA ceasefire.

4 Post-Taoiseach Period

In 1997, Reynolds, at the urgings of Ahern (who was now Taoiseach) agreed to seek the Fianna Fáil nomination for the presidency, which had become vacant following Mary Robinson's resignation. However Reynolds was humiliatingly beaten for the nomination by the Pro-Vice Chancellor of Queens University, Belfast, former Fianna Fáil general election Mary McAleese. McAleese went on to win the 1997 presidential election.

Reynolds retired from Dáil Éireann following the 2002 general election.

5 Cabinet February 1992 - December 1994

An Taoiseach: Albert Reynolds
An Tánaiste: John P. Wilson ( 1992- 1993), Dick Spring ( 1993- 1994), Bertie Ahern ( 1994)
Minister for Finance: Bertie Ahern
Minister for Foreign Affairs: David Andrews ( 1992- 1993), Dick Spring ( 1993- 1994), Albert Reynolds ( 1994)
Minister for Justice: Pádraig Flynn ( 1992- 1993), Máire Geoghegan-Quinn ( 1993- 1994)
Minister for Industry and Commerce: Desmond O'Malley ( 1992), Pádraig Flynn ( 1992- 1993), Bertie Ahern ( 1993)
- Minister for Enterprise & Employment: Ruairí Quinn ( 1993- 1994)
Minister for Labour: Brian Cowen ( 1992- 1993)
- Minister for Equality & Law Reform: Mervyn Taylor ( 1993- 1994)
Minister for Agriculture & Food: Joe Walsh
Minister for Defence: John P. Wilson ( 1992- 1993), David Andrews ( 1993- 1994)
Minister for Education: Séamus Brennan ( 1992- 1993, Niamh Bhreathnach ( 1993- 1994), Michael Smith ( 1994)
Minister for Health: John O'Connell ( 1992- 1993), Brendan Howlin ( 1993- 1994), Michael Woods ( 1994)
Minister for Tourism, Transport & Communications: Máire Geoghegan-Quinn ( 1992- 1993), Charlie McCreevy ( 1993)
- Minister for Transport, Energy & Communications: Brian Cowen ( 1993- 1994)
Minister for Social Welfare: Charlie McCreevy ( 1992- 1993), Michael Woods ( 1993- 1994)
Minister for the Environment: Michael Smith
Minister for the Marine: Michael Woods ( 1992- 1993), David Andrews ( 1993- 1994)
Minister for Energy: Bobby Molloy ( 1992), Albert Reynolds ( 1992- 1993), Brian Cowen ( 1993)
- Minister for Tourism & Trade: Charlie McCreevy ( 1993- 1994)
Minister for the Gaeltacht: John P. Wilson ( 1992- 1993)
- Minister for Arts, Culture & the Gaeltacht: Michael D. Higgins ( 1993- 1994)

6 Political Career

Preceded by: Pádraig Faulkner	Minister for Posts & Telegraphs 1979-1981	Succeeded by: Patrick Cooney
Preceded by: George Colley	Minister for Transport 1980-1981	Succeeded by: Patrick Cooney
Preceded by: Michael O'Leary	Minister for Industry & Energy 1982	Succeeded by: John Bruton
Preceded by: Michael Noonan	Minister for Industry & Commerce 1987-1988	Succeeded by: Ray Burke
Preceded by: Ray MacSharry	Minister for Finance 1988-1991	Succeeded by: Bertie Ahern
Preceded by: Charles Haughey	Leader of the Fianna Fáil Party 1992-1994	Succeeded by: Bertie Ahern
Preceded by: Charles Haughey	Taoiseach 1992-1994	Succeeded by: John Bruton

Taoisigh na hÉireann
Eamon de Valera \| John A. Costello \| Seán F. Lemass \| Jack M. Lynch \| Liam T. Cosgrave \| Charles J. Haughey \| Garret FitzGerald \| Albert Reynolds \| John Bruton \| Bertie Ahern

Presidents of the Executive Council Eamon de Valera \| William T. Cosgrave

Reynolds, Albert Reynolds, Albert Reynolds, Albert

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