FINE GAEL and Labour are no strangers to coalition government with each other, having spent a total of 18 and a half years together in six administrations in the history of the State.
1948-1951
The first coalition or inter-party government as it was known had Fine Gael’s John A Costello at its head in a coalition across the spectrum of political opinion, reflecting all anti-Fianna Fáil parties including National Labour, the Labour Party and Clann na Poblachta, with William Norton of Labour as Tánaiste.
This administration introduced the Industrial Development Authority, finally mastered the scourge of tuberculosis and formally declared Ireland as a Republic.
1954-1957
Fine Gael and Labour were back together again in the second inter-party government with the support of Clann na Poblachta from 1954 to 1957, with Costello again in charge along with Norton.
Irelands entry into the United Nations was negotiated, and the VHI was founded.
Security measures against republican groups and deterioration in the economy resulted in Clann na Poblachta withdrawing support and an election was called.
1973-1977
The marriage of Fine Gael and Labour was back on from 1973 to 1977 in a “National Coalition”, with Liam Cosgrave as taoiseach and Labour leader Brendan Corish as Tánaiste. It was beset by problems including a worsening security situation in the North and the oil crisis, and its reputation was seriously damaged when the taoiseach failed to discipline minister for defence Paddy Donegan for criticising then president Cearbhail Ó Dálaigh as a “thundering disgrace”, following which the president resigned.
It attempted to improve the situation in the North but its Sunningdale Agreement failed. The economic situation undermined the coalition, with record inflation, unemployment and public deficit resulting in a record 20-seat majority for Fianna Fáil in the 1977 election.
June 1981-February 1982
This administration held power in a period of huge volatility, with three general elections in the space of 18 months. With Garret FitzGerald as taoiseach, it lasted a mere eight months and collapsed when then minister for finance John Bruton introduced a budget taxing children’s shoes. It was a step too far for independent Seán “Dublin Bay Rockall” Loftus, who voted against the administration, resulting in a general election.
1982-1987
Garret FitzGerald was back as taoiseach of another Fine Gael-Labour coalition after Fine Gael had just a handful fewer seats than Fianna Fáil in the November 1982 election. This was the administration that introduced the Anglo-Irish Agreement, but unemployment and emigration continued to spiral.
1994-1997
Here Fine Gael and Labour went into government again along with Democratic Left in the “Rainbow Coalition”. This followed Labours withdrawal under tánaiste Dick Spring from coalition with Fianna Fáil under then taoiseach Albert Reynolds in the controversy over paedophile priest Brendan Smyth and the appointment of attorney general Harry Whelehan as president of the High Court.
The new coalition under taoiseach John Bruton oversaw the introduction of divorce following the second referendum on the issue, the State visit of the Prince of Wales in 1996, the introduction of the 12.5 per cent corporation tax by then minister for finance Ruairí Quinn, and the first budget surplus in decades. The peace process, however, stalled with the collapse of the IRA ceasefire.
