Garrett Fitzgerald

[max power]

he is celebrating his 80th birthday on thursday, i have to say he has been one of my favourite politicians growing up, i've always thought he has had the peoples best interest at heart no matter what choices he made while in power. I dont have my colours nailed to the mast of any politicial party but i would vote for a party with him in charge.

He still tours the world doing lectures about the strong economic position Ireland have gained for themselves. At his age i find it amazing.

[dahamsta]

Wasn't Fitzgerald one of the people pushing for the European Constitution? In fact I seem to recollect that he was involved in drafting it...

adam /pro-europe, anti-right-wing-constitution

[pete]

Slightly before my time but certainly one of the most respected politicians in our countries history. People will obviously disagree with some of his decisions but no doubting he in politics for the right reasons.

You only have to compare him with his arch nemesis Haughey who through bribes & backhanders made a fortune out of politics whereas Fitzgerald is by no means a wealthy man.

[The Pie Man]

thats a good point pete fitzgerald made dicisions becuase they had to be made, not to line his own pockets.

one of the greatst politicians this state has ever known.

[Lim till i die]

Correct my young self if I'm wrong but wasn't it Fitzgeralds enlightened regime who tried to introduce a tax on childrens shoes in one budget and in another memorable move a couple of years later attempted to cut the social welfare christmas bonus at a time when 100's of thousands were on the dole

Just because your better than a crook like Haughey doesn't make you great

[crc]

Wasn't Fitzgerald one of the people pushing for the European Constitution? In fact I seem to recollect that he was involved in drafting it...

Wrong

John Bruton was one of the Irish members of the European Convention (the body that drafted the Constitution), Garret wasn't, though I'm sure Garret was probably a fan of the Constitution.

http://european-convention.eu.int/

[Block G Raptor]

Jebus the man signed the Anglo Irish Agreement and stood by while ten men(one a T.D. and one an M.P.) starved in The maze, Because IMO he was afraid to stand up to Thatcher. how any one can compliment the man is beyond me.

[dahamsta]

Wrong

Right, sorry about that. He was still a cheerleader though, as you suggest.

adam

[pete]

Bruton tired to put the tax on childrens shoes i believe. Anyway hardtimes require hard decisions. Haughey still gets credit for giving OAPs free bus travel but that was just a populist act.

As i said people will disagree with certain decisions made by any politician but i can'r see how anyone coul deny that Fitzgerald was an honourable politician who wasn't it politics to line his own pockets (hence the CJ comparison).

I think he still writes opinion pieces for the Irish Times from time to time.

[Roverstillidie]

the very fact that we are supposed to venerate a politician for not being as bent as haughey amuses me.

[pete]

the very fact that we are supposed to venerate a politician for not being as bent as haughey amuses me.

Its Ireland.

[Macy]

the very fact that we are supposed to venerate a politician for not being as bent as haughey amuses me.

I suppose it's just a reaction to all those that still can't take the blinkers off and see what a corrupt politician Haughey was...

[Lionel Ritchie]

the very fact that we are supposed to venerate a politician for not being as bent as haughey amuses me.

Not a fine gael voter but there is no suggestion he is "not as bent" as anyone. To the best of my knowledge the guy has never been implicated in any shady act of backhanding. That's the only Haughey comparison that was made.

Jebus the man signed the Anglo Irish Agreement and stood by while ten men(one a T.D. and one an M.P.) starved in The maze, Because IMO he was afraid to stand up to Thatcher. how any one can compliment the man is beyond me

Hmmm ....maybe he didn't agree with the ten mens politics. Maybe he didn't like their particular methods of protest which it strikes me is pretty much a slowed down suicide bombing. Maybe he felt that, horrible as those lads deaths were, those lads got to choose the hour and manner of their own passing which is a hell of a lot more than the IRA and the INLA ever gave those who got in their way.

[pete]

Not a fine gael voter but there is no suggestion he is "not as bent" as anyone. To the best of my knowledge the guy has never been implicated in any shady act of backhanding. That's the only Haughey comparison that was made.

Haughey was his biggest political rival & it must have been obvious to Garret Fitzgerald what was going on. Its to his credit he didn't follwo that route to gain power.

[Block G Raptor]

Hmmm ....maybe he didn't agree with the ten mens politics. Maybe he didn't like their particular methods of protest which it strikes me is pretty much a slowed down suicide bombing. Maybe he felt that, horrible as those lads deaths were, those lads got to choose the hour and manner of their own passing which is a hell of a lot more than the IRA and the INLA ever gave those who got in their way.

Or maybee he was so humiliated by Thatchers P.R. coup after the Anglo Irish Agreement was signed when she made him look like a total prat in front of the whole country that he didn't have the stomach to go against her on the hungerstrike issue.

I dont neccessarly agree with there brand of politics either. neither did amnesty interrnational, the archbishop, the POPE and they all did more for them than Fitzgerald. The tragedy of the 1978-1981 prison dispute had more to do with basic human rights than any political status.

those lads got to choose the hour and manner of their own passing which is a hell of a lot more than the IRA and the INLA ever gave those who got in their way.

I think its worth pointing out that none of the hungerstrikers were serving sentances for murder !