Former Irish PM Haughey dies
Former Irish premier Charles Haughey has died today at the age of 80, after a long battle with prostate cancer.
One of the most flamboyant and controversial people in Irish politics, he died surrounded by his family at his north Dublin home in Kinsealy. He had been ill for some time.
Mr Haughey served as taoiseach three times between 1979 and 1992, although his career was very nearly cut short by allegations that he was trying to provide arms to the IRA.
He was dismissed from the cabinet over the claims in 1970, along with colleague Neil Blaney, but was later cleared of all charges in a court of law.
He remained a strong opponent of the separation of the island of Ireland, however, once noting that every time he went to the border with Northern Ireland, he “experienced deep feelings of anger and restraint”.
Mr Haughey first became taoiseach in 1979 for three years, before returning in 1982 for nine months and then in 1987 until 1992, when he was forced to resign over claims he had been involved in wire-tapping political journalists – claims he had survived in 1983.
He left politics at that point, with his son, Sean, succeeding him in his north Dublin constituency, but remained in the public eye thanks to a series of personal and financial scandals.
In 1999, gossip columnist Terry Keane went on television to reveal they had had a 27-year-affair, while the scale of his affluent lifestyle – he owned race horses, a yacht and a mansion – was laid bare through two inquiries into his personal finances.
In 2000, the former taoiseach agreed to pay 1.28 million euros in unpaid tax on gifts from chain store owner Ben Dunne, and four years later, agreed to pay back five million euros to the Revenue commission.
This morning, current Irish premier Bertie Ahern expressed his “great sadness” at the death of Mr Haughey, saying it “marks the passing of an era”.
“On behalf of the government and Fianna Fail, I wish to convey our deepest sympathies to his wife Maureen, his daughter Eimear, and his sons, Conor, Ciaran and Sean, as well as his wider family,” he said.
Mr Ahern said the late politician had made a huge impact on Irish life over his career, and had “served with distinction in every ministerial position that he held, and his many imaginative initiatives are remembered”.
He cited in particular the introduction of free travel for pensioners, generous pension increases between 1980 and 1982. Other achievements include the protection of inheritance rights for widows, and the introduction of tax breaks for artists.
