Former taoiseach John Bruton has died aged 76 following a long illness.
Mr Bruton was leader of Fine Gael from 1990 to 2001 and taoiseach from 1994 until 1997 as head of the “rainbow coalition” government alongside Labour and Democratic Left.
He died in a Dublin hospital on Tuesday morning, surrounded by his family.
A statement from the Bruton family, released by Fine Gael on Tuesday, said: “It is with deep sadness we wish to announce the death of former Taoiseach John Bruton.
“He died peacefully in the Mater Private Hospital in Dublin, surrounded by his loving family, early this morning following a long illness.
“He was a good husband, a good father and a true patriot.
“We will miss him greatly.
“John is survived by his wife, Finola, son Matthew and daughters; Juliana, Emily and Mary-Elizabeth, grandchildren, sons-in-law, his brother, Richard and sister, Mary, nieces, nephews, many cousins and extended family.”
Mr Bruton was first elected to the Dáil as TD for Meath at the age of 22 and continued to rise through Fine Gael until his retirement from domestic politics in 2004.
He served two terms as minister for finance during the 1980s and as minister for industry and energy and minister for trade.
Mr Bruton later served as the European Union’s ambassador to the US from 2004 to 2009.
Born in Dunboyne in Co Meath, he graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) before qualifying as a barrister from King’s Inns.
At the general election in 1997, Mr Bruton lost to Bertie Ahern’s Fianna Fáil.
He stayed as leader of Fine Gael for another four years.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he was “devastated” by the news of Mr Bruton’s death.
The Fine Gael leader said Mr Bruton was one of the reasons he became involved in politics.
“He was always encouraging and supportive on a personal level, from my time in Young Fine Gael to my time as Taoiseach,” Mr Varadkar said in a statement.
“We kept in touch and his knowledge and experience were particularly helpful during Brexit and during coalition negotiations.
“We last spoke just before Christmas when he was unable to attend the Council of State due to his illness.
“I spoke to his wife Finola and brother Richard this morning to pass on my condolences.
“John was a doer and a philosopher. He was passionately pro-European in government and in opposition, and was well-liked and respected among colleagues in Europe and in the European People’s Party in which he served as vice-president.
“He knew that Ireland’s place and destiny was at the heart of Europe and made the case for it eloquently.”
President Michael D Higgins said Mr Bruton will be remembered “with great warmth” and that his contributions to the public debate will be “greatly missed”.
Mr Higgins, who served as a member of Cabinet with Mr Bruton, said the former taoiseach was a deeply committed politician who demonstrated a “life-long interest and engagement in public affairs and public service” in Ireland and internationally.
He noted Mr Bruton’s contributions to the peace process as well as his promotion of European integration.
Mr Higgins added: “Very open and forthright in his opinions, John had a great sense of humour which was a great help in ensuring a sense of collegiality and that small issues would never be allowed to defeat what was important in relation to the things that mattered most.
“Always bristling with ideas, and occasionally demonstrating an impatience with the difficulties of implementation, those of us who worked with John, be it in government or in opposition, will recall the energy which he brought to the different parts of politics.
“This continued in John’s many contributions to the public debate in the years following his departure from office and, in all of his roles, was something which I always very much welcomed and found very refreshing.”
Former taoiseach Mr Ahern said Mr Bruton was “one of the decent people”.
“My view of John is that he was a gentleman,” Mr Ahern told RTÉ. “He was always the private man.
“He was leader of the House in government, and I was leader of the House in opposition, way back in the early 80s.
“I worked with them on so many issues over so many years. We got on very well.
“I considered him one of the decent people. His involvement in the North was always genuine.
“He was a totally genuine person and always acted in the interests of the people of the country, of the people of need and I wouldn’t have a bad word to say about John Bruton.”
Tánaiste Micheál Martin said Mr Bruton was a “committed politician full of ideas and energy”.
In a statement, Mr Martin said: “It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of John Bruton.
“A committed politician full of ideas and energy, John worked tirelessly for peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland.
“A passionate European and clear about Ireland’s place in the EU, John believed in public service and was a true patriot.”
'Distinguished parliamentarian'
Former taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny also paid tribute to Mr Bruton.
“I had the privilege to serve with John in Dáil Eireann and in Government over many years. He was a distinguished parliamentarian who became a great taoiseach, always guided by his passion for social justice,” Mr Kenny said.
He added Mr Bruton will be remembered as “an honourable person with great resilience and a wonderful sense of humour, who always put his country first”.
The speaker of the Dáil, Seán Ó Fearghaíl, said Mr Bruton’s legacy will be his “total commitment to democracy, absolute integrity to politics and dedication to public service”.
In a statement, the Ceann Comhairle said: “I was saddened to learn of the passing of John Bruton and on behalf of the Houses of the Oireachtas pass on my deepest sympathies to his wife, Finola, children, Matthew, Juliana, Emily and Mary-Elizabeth, grandchildren, sister Mary, and his brother and our colleague in Dail Eireann, Deputy Richard Bruton.
“John Bruton gave nearly four decades of dedicated service to the people of Ireland as a Member of the Dail from his first election in 1969 to his retirement in 2005.
“As a TD, Minister and ultimately Taoiseach, John brought total commitment to democracy, absolute integrity to politics and dedication to public service. This will be his legacy.”
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill expressed her condolences to the Bruton family.
Speaking in the Assembly, she said: “I want to pass on my condolences to the family of former taoiseach John Bruton, who we’ve just been notified has sadly passed away.
“To his family and friends, we send them our condolences at this very sad time.”
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly also expressed her condolences, while speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly Edwin Poots said he will write to the Bruton family to express his condolences.
Former UK prime minister John Major also paid tribute to the “brave” and “formidable” Mr Bruton.
“I was shocked to learn of the loss of John Bruton,” Mr Major said.
“He was a brave and talented Taoiseach who contributed mightily to the early days of the peace process.
“In testing circumstances, he put peace above political self-interest to progress the path towards the end of violence.
“He was a formidable servant of the Irish nation and of peace, and I am deeply saddened at his passing.”
