Albert Reynolds, Former Taoiseach

(In extract) Albert Reynolds, Irish businessman and politican.  Prime Minister of Ireland 1992-1993 … born Rooskey, Co. Roscommon … educated Summerhill College, Sligo … began his business career in a shipping firm … business interests grew … ownership of … music halls and a newspaper.  After joining Fianna Fail … elected to Dail Eireann in 1977 … for Longford … 1979 … Minister of Posts and Telegraphs and Transport … government of Charles Haughey.  In 1982 … Minister for Industry and Energy … in 1983 … Vice President Fianna Fail … until 1992 … in new Haughey-led Fianna Fail/Progressive Democrat coalition … became Minister … Industry and Commerce 1987: Finance and the Public Service 1988: Minister of Finance 1989: in November 1991 he supported a motion for Haughey’s removal as Fianna Fail leader, after … financial scandals compromised the government, and was dismissed.  Following Haughey’s … resignation in 1992 … Reynolds became Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and lead of Fianna Fail … tension between … Progressive Democrat partners led to formation of a Fianna Fail minority government … September 1992 … general election in the same month … election returned Reynolds as Taoiseach, but inconclusive results … coalition with Irish Labour Party … January 1993 … Labour’s Dick Spring becoming his Deputy and Foreign Affairs Minister.  Neogitations with United Kingdom … issue of Northern Ireland, led Reynolds to sign the so-called Downing Street Declaration in December 1993 with British Prime Minister John Major … committed both parties to a resolution of the conflict.  Reynolds … proposed Forum for Peace and Reconciliation to encourage an end to sectarian violence … welcomed August 1994 announcement by the Irish Republican Army of a ceasefire … met … Gerry Adams aftewards to endorse the move.  … November 1994 Labour withdrew its support from Reynolds.  The Government resigned … Reynolds stepped down … in favour of Bertie Ahern, remaining caretaker Prime Minister until the formation of a new Labour-Fianna Gael coalition the following month.