Government of the 25th Dáil

The 25th Dáil was elected at the 1987 general election on 17 February 1987 and first met on 10 March when the 20th Government of Ireland was appointed. The 25th Dáil lasted 849 days.

20th Government of Ireland

The 20th Government of Ireland (10 March 1987 – 12 July 1989) was formed by the Fianna Fáil party.^[1] It was a minority government which had the qualified support of Fine Gael,^[2] the main opposition party. 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, and one which would have economic benefits for the country, 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.^[3]

Economy

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's was appointed European Commissioner. As a result of this he resigned his Dáil seat and ended 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.^[5]

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.^[6]

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.^[7]

Foreign affairs

Northern Ireland

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.^[8]

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.^[9]

During this period the IRA managed to smuggle a gun into the Four Courts in an attempted prison escape.^[10]

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.

Acts of the Oireachtas passed

1987

• No. 2/1987 – Social Welfare Act, 1987
• No. 3/1987 – Health (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 4/1987 – Referendum (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 5/1987 – Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 6/1987 – Air Pollution Act, 1987
• No. 7/1987 – Agriculture (An Chomhairle Oiliúna Talmhaíochta) Act, 1987
• No. 8/1987 – Defence (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 9/1987 – Gas (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 10/1987 – Finance Act, 1987
• No. 11/1987 – Tourist Traffic Act, 1987
• No. 12/1987 – Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 13/1987 – Export Promotion (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 14/1987 – Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 15/1987 – Labour Services Act, 1987
• No. 16/1987 – Urban Renewal (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 17/1987 – National Monuments (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 18/1987 – Safety, Health and Welfare (Offshore Installations) Act, 1987
• No. 19/1987 – Local Loans Fund (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 20/1987 – International Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs Act, 1987
• No. 21/1987 – Shipping Investment Grants Act, 1987
• No. 22/1987 – Nítrigin Éireann Teoranta Act, 1987
• No. 23/1987 – Restrictive Practices (Confirmation of Order) Act, 1987
• No. 24/1987 – Copyright (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 25/1987 – Extradition (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 26/1987 – Status of Children Act, 1987
• No. 27/1987 – Transport Act, 1987
• No. 28/1987 – Control of Clinical Trials Act, 1987
• No. 29/1987 – Social Welfare (No. 2) Act, 1987
• No. 30/1987 – Science and Technology Act, 1987
• No. 31/1987 – Restrictive Practices (Amendment) Act, 1987
• No. 32/1987 – Fisheries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 1987
• No. 33/1987 – Appropriation Act, 1987
• No. 34/1987 – Dublin Transport Authority (Dissolution) Act, 1987

Constitutional Amendments

• Tenth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1987

1988

• No. 1/1988 – Housing Finance Agency (Amendment) Act, 1988
• No. 2/1988 – Valuation Act, 1988
• No. 3/1988 – Jurisdiction of Courts and Enforcement of Judgments (European Communities) Act, 1988
• No. 4/1988 – B & I Line Act, 1988
• No. 5/1988 – International Development Association (Amendment) Act, 1988
• No. 6/1988 – Agricultural Credit Act, 1988
• No. 7/1988 – Social Welfare Act, 1988
• No. 8/1988 – Abattoirs Act, 1988
• No. 9/1988 – Maritime Jurisdiction (Amendment) Act, 1988
• No. 10/1988 – Customs and Excise (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1988
• No. 11/1988 – Oil Pollution of the Sea (Civil Liability and Compensation) Act, 1988
• No. 12/1988 – Finance Act, 1988
• No. 13/1988 – Worker Participation (State Enterprises) Act, 1988
• No. 14/1988 – Courts Act, 1988
• No. 15/1988 – Air Navigation and Transport Act, 1988
• No. 16/1988 – Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1988
• No. 17/1988 – Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act, 1988
• No. 18/1988 – Agriculture (Research, Training and Advice) Act, 1988
• No. 19/1988 – Broadcasting and Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1988
• No. 20/1988 – Radio and Television Act, 1988
• No. 21/1988 – European Communities (Funding) Act, 1988
• No. 22/1988 – Insurance (Export Guarantees) Act, 1988
• No. 23/1988 – Córas Beostoic agus Feola (Amendment) Act, 1988
• No. 24/1988 – Tobacco (Health Promotion and Protection) Act, 1988
• No. 25/1988 – Data Protection Act, 1988
• No. 26/1988 – Forestry Act, 1988
• No. 27/1988 – Bankruptcy Act, 1988
• No. 28/1988 – Housing Act, 1988
• No. 29/1988 – Local Government (Multi-Storey Buildings) Act, 1988
• No. 30/1988 – Adoption Act, 1988
• No. 31/1988 – Family Law Act, 1988
• No. 32/1988 – Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency Act, 1988
• No. 33/1988 – Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust Act, 1988
• No. 34/1988 – Courts (No. 2) Act, 1988
• No. 35/1988 – Appropriation Act, 1988

1989

• No. 1/1989 – Garda Síochána Act, 1989
• No. 2/1989 – Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Act, 1989
• No. 3/1989 – Insurance Act, 1989
• No. 4/1989 – Social Welfare Act, 1989
• No. 5/1989 – Jurisdiction of Courts (Maritime Conventions) Act, 1989
• No. 6/1989 – Judicial Separation and Family Law Reform Act, 1989
• No. 7/1989 – Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989
• No. 8/1989 – Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1989
• No. 9/1989 – Bord na gCapall (Dissolution) Act, 1989
• No. 10/1989 – Finance Act, 1989
• No. 11/1989 – An Blascaod Mór National Historic Park Act, 1989
• No. 12/1989 – Social Welfare (No. 2) Act, 1989
• No. 13/1989 – Shannon Free Airport Development Company Limited (Amendment) Act, 1989
• No. 14/1989 – University of Limerick Act, 1989
• No. 15/1989 – Dublin City University Act, 1989
• No. 16/1989 – Central Bank Act, 1989
• No. 17/1989 – Building Societies Act, 1989

See also

• Members of the 25th Dáil
• Ministers of State of the 25th Dáil
• Members of the 18th Seanad
• Dáil Éireann
• Constitution of Ireland
• Politics of the Republic of Ireland

References