Fine Gael
Fine Gael | |
---|---|
Leader | Simon Harris |
Deputy leader | Heather Humphreys |
Chairman | Alan Farrell[1] |
Seanad leader | Regina Doherty |
Founders | |
Founded | 8 September 1933 |
Merger of | |
Headquarters | 51 Mount Street Upper, Dublin, Ireland |
Youth wing | Young Fine Gael |
LGBT wing | Fine Gael LGBT[2] |
Membership (2020) | 25,000[3][needs update] |
Ideology | |
Dark blue (official) | |
Dáil Éireann[14] | 34 / 160 |
Seanad Éireann[15] | 16 / 60 |
European Parliament[16][a] | 5 / 13 |
Local government[17] | 254 / 949 |
Website | |
www | |
Fine Gael (/ˌfiːnə ˈɡeɪl, ˌfɪn-/ FEEN-nə GAYL, FIN-,[18][19] Irish: [ˌfʲɪnʲə ˈɡeːl̪ˠ]; English: "Family (or Tribe) of the Irish") is a liberal-conservative[20][21][22] and Christian-democratic[20][23][24] political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil Éireann[25][26] and largest in terms of Irish members of the European Parliament.[27] The party had a membership of 25,000 in 2021.[28] Simon Harris succeeded Leo Varadkar as party leader on 24 March 2024.
Fine Gael was founded on 8 September 1933[29][30] following the merger of its parent party Cumann na nGaedheal, the National Centre Party and the Blueshirts. Its origins lie in the struggle for Irish independence and the pro-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War, with the party claiming the legacy of Michael Collins.[31] In its early years, the party was commonly known as Fine Gael – The United Ireland Party, abbreviated UIP,[32][33][34] and its official title in its constitution remains Fine Gael (United Ireland).[35]
Fine Gael is generally considered to be more of a proponent of
Having governed in coalition with the Labour Party between 2011 and 2016, and in a minority government along with Independent TDs from 2016 to 2020, Fine Gael currently forms part of a historic coalition government with its traditional rival, Fianna Fáil, and the Green Party, with Simon Harris serving as Taoiseach since April 2024.
History
Foundation
Fine Gael was created in 1933 following the merger of three political organisations;
In September 1933, the three groups combined forces and merged to form Fine Gael. The National Guard (referred to informally by this point as "the Blueshirts") were to serve as the youth wing of the new party, "The League of Youth". CnaG members dominated the new party. However, to avoid the perception that Fine Gael was simply Cumann na nGaedhael under a new name, O'Duffy was made leader of the new party. Following poor results at the 1934 local elections and concerns over his increasingly rabid rhetoric, O'Duffy resigned from the leadership after the party attempted to control what he said in public. He was replaced by W. T. Cosgrave, with James Dillon becoming deputy leader. O'Duffy attempted to regain control of the Blueshirts, but was rebuffed by the majority of them, who chose to stay with Fine Gael. Under the stewardship of Cosgrave and Dillon, the party returned to the more traditional conservatism espoused by Cumann na nGaedhael, with the moribund League of Youth disbanded by 1936.[39][41]
Finding success with coalitions with Labour
Fine Gael remained out of government and at a low ebb for a prolonged period until the aftermath of the
It was not until leader
The arrangement between Fine Gael and Labour proved pleasing to both parties and their election pacts remained throughout the rest of the 1970s and into the 1980s, seeing the pair enter government a number of times together.[45] In 1985, Fine Gael/Labour voted to liberalise access to contraceptives.[47] That same year FitzGerald signed the Anglo-Irish Agreement with Margaret Thatcher, paving the way to devolved government in Northern Ireland.[47] In 1986 the party campaigned for a Yes in that year's referendum on legalising divorce, which was defeated, with the No side obtaining 63.5% of the vote.[47]
Decline and rebuilding
The 1980s had proven fruitful electorally for Fine Gael, but the 1990s and early 2000s saw this momentum decline quickly. One of the first signs of this was the party's poor result in the 1990 presidential election, in which their candidate Austin Currie obtained just 17% of the first preference vote.
Fine Gael formed a government between 1994 and 1997 with the Labour Party and the Democratic Left. This government legalised divorce after a successful referendum in 1995. The party's share of TDs fell from 54 in 1997[48] to only 31[49] in the 2002 general election, its second-worst result ever at that point. It was at this point Enda Kenny took over leadership of the party and began the process of rebuilding it. At the 2007 general election Kenny was able to bring Fine Gael back to its 1997 levels with 51 TDs.[50]
Recovery
The collapse of the
Since 2015
In 2015, the Fine Gael/Labour government held
After the 2020 general election, for the first time in history, Fine Gael entered into a coalition government with its traditional rival Fianna Fáil, as well as the Green Party, with Leo Varadkar serving as Tánaiste for the first half of the government's five-year term, then becoming Taoiseach in December 2022.[60]
Ideology and policies
Part of a series on |
Christian democracy |
---|
Christianity portal |
As a political party of the
Although Ireland's political spectrum was traditionally divided along
Although Fine Gael was historically a Catholic party, it became the de facto home for Irish Protestants. Its membership base had a higher proportion of Protestants than that of Fianna Fáil or Labour.[72][73] The party promoted a strong Catholic image and depicted itself as a defender of Catholicism against Atheistic Communism, of which it accused the two aforementioned parties of being sympathetic to.[74]
Social policies
Fine Gael adopted the "Just Society" policy statement in the 1960s, based on principles of social justice and equality. It was created by the emerging social democratic wing of the party, led by Declan Costello. The ideas expressed in the policy statement had a significant influence on the party in the years to come.[75]
While Fine Gael was traditionally socially conservative for most of the twentieth century due to the conservative Christian ethos of Irish society during this time, its members are variously influenced by social liberalism, social democracy and Christian democracy on issues of social policy. Under Garret FitzGerald, the party's more socially liberal, or pluralist, wing gained prominence. Proposals to allow divorce were put to referendum by two Fine Gael–led governments, in 1986 under FitzGerald,[76] and in 1995 under John Bruton, passing very narrowly on this second attempt.[77] Its modern supporters have shown a preference for postmaterialist values.[78][79][80]
LGBT+ issues
Fine Gael supported
In 2015, months before the
Fine Gael has an LGBT+ section, Fine Gael LGBT, and in 2017, Leo Varadkar became the first Taoiseach to march in Dublin Pride.[84]
Abortion
In 1983, the
In 1992, in the
In 2013 it proposed, and supported, the enactment of the
Enda Kenny's Fine Gael–led minority government took office after the 2016 election with a programme which promised a randomly selected Citizens' Assembly to report on possible changes to the Eighth Amendment, which would be considered by an Oireachtas committee, to whose report the government would respond officially in debates in both houses of the Oireachtas. Fine Gael Oireachtas members were promised a free vote on the issue. Leo Varadkar succeeded Enda Kenny as Taoiseach on 14 June 2017 and promised to hold a referendum on abortion in 2018.[93] Several Fine Gael TDs, notably Health Minister Simon Harris and Kate O'Connell, were prominent supporters of the pro-choice side before and during the referendum. While the party was divided, the majority of Fine Gael TDs and Senators, as well as most members, were in favour of repealing the Eighth Amendment. A referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment was held on 25 May 2018 and was approved by 66.4% of voters.
Drug policies
The party has traditionally held a strong stance against the decriminalisation of drugs. In 2007, Fine Gael's leader at the time Enda Kenny called for drug and alcohol testing to be performed in schools, saying cocaine usage at schools was "rampant" in some areas.[94]
At the party's 2014 Ard Fheis, a proposed motion to support the legalisation of cannabis was voted down by the membership.[95]
In 2016, the Fine Gael health minister James Reilly said that they would not be changing their policy on the legalisation of cannabis, due to "serious concerns about the health impacts" of cannabis.[96]
Economic policies
Fine Gael has, since its inception, portrayed itself as a party of fiscal rectitude and minimal government interference in economics, advocating pro-enterprise policies. In that they followed the line of the previous pro-Treaty government that believed in minimal state intervention, low taxes and social expenditures.
Fine Gael's proposals have sometimes been criticised mostly by smaller political groupings in Ireland, and by some of the trade unions, who have raised the idea that the party's solutions are more conscious of business interests than the interests of the worker. In 2008 the SIPTU trade union stated its opposition to then-Taoiseach Enda Kenny's assertion, in response to Ireland's economic crisis, that the national wage agreement ought to have been suspended. Kenny's comments had support however and the party attributed its significant rise in polls in 2008 to this.[101]
Fine Gael's
The plan was seen as the longer term contribution to Fine Gael's economic agenda and the basis of its program for government. It was publicised in combination with a more short term policy proposal from Leo Varadkar. This document, termed "Hope for a Lost Generation", promised to bring 30,000 young Irish people off the Live Register in a year by combining a National Internship Program, a Second Chance Education Scheme, an Apprenticeship Guarantee and Community Work Program, as well as instituting a German style Workshare program.[104]
Constitutional reform policies
In 2010 Fine Gael's Phil Hogan published the party's proposals for political and constitutional reform. In a policy document entitled New Politics, Hogan suggested creating a country with "a smaller, more dynamic and more responsive political system" by reducing the size of the Dáil by 20, changing the way the Dáil works, and by abolishing the Irish senate, Seanad Éireann.[105]
The question of whether to abolish the Seanad or not was put to a referendum in 2013, with voters voting 51% to 49% to retain bicameralism in Ireland.[106]
Health policies
The Irish health system, being administered centrally by the Health Service Executive, is seen to be poor by comparison to other countries in Europe, ranking outside expected levels at 25th according to the Euro Health Consumer Index 2006.[107]
Fine Gael has long wanted Ireland to break with the system of private health insurance, public medical cards and what it calls the two tiers of the health system and has launched a campaign to see the system reformed. Speaking in favour of the campaign, Fine Gael then health spokesman James Reilly stated "Over the last 10 years the health service has become a shambles. We regularly have over 350 people on trolleys in A&E, waiting lists that go on for months, outpatient waiting lists that go on for years and cancelled operations across the country..."[108]
Fine Gael launched its FairCare campaign and website in April 2009, which stated that the health service would be reformed away from a costly ineffective endeavour, into a publicly regulated system where compulsory universal health insurance would replace the existing provisions.[109]
This strategy was criticised by Fianna Fáil's then-Minister for Children, Barry Andrews. The spokesperson for family law and children, Alan Shatter TD, robustly defended its proposals as the only means of reducing public expenditure, and providing a service in Ireland more akin to the Canadian, German, Dutch and Austrian health systems.
Fine Gael's current healthcare policy revolves around the implementation of Sláintecare, a cross-party plan for the reform of the Irish health system. Sláintecare is focused on introducing "a universal single-tiered health service, which guarantees access based on need, not income… through Universal Health Insurance".[110]
Pro-Europeanism and defence policies
Fine Gael is among the most pro-
Under Enda Kenny, the party called on the state to end
Since Brexit, Fine Gael has taken a strong pro-European stance, stating that Ireland's place is "at the heart of Europe".[119] In government, the party has launched the "Global Ireland" plan to develop alliances with other small countries across Europe and the world.[120]
European affiliations
Fine Gael is a founding member of the
It is inferred from the party's relationship with its European counterparts via membership of the European People's Party that Fine Gael belongs on the centre-right.[121][122][123] The party conforms generally with European political parties that identify themselves as being Christian democratic.[124]
Planning and payment tribunals
The
It was also revealed in December 1996 that Fine Gael had received some £180,000 from
Following revelations at the Moriarty Tribunal on 16 February 1999, in relation to Charles Haughey and his relationship with AIB, former Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald confirmed that AIB and Ansbacher wrote off debts of almost £200,000 that he owed in 1993, when he was in financial difficulties because of the collapse of the aircraft leasing company, GPA, in which he was a shareholder. The write-off occurred after Fitzgerald left politics. Fitzgerald also said he believed his then Fine Gael colleague, Peter Sutherland, who was chairman of AIB at the time, was unaware of the situation.[126]
Leadership
The leader of the Fine Gael party is Simon Harris. The position of deputy leader has been held since 2024 by Heather Humphreys TD, the Minister for Rural and Community Development and Minister for Social Protection.
Party leader
The following are the terms of office as party leader, and as Taoiseach (bolded) if applicable:
Leader | Portrait | Period | Constituency | Periods in office (Taoiseach unless otherwise noted) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Eoin O'Duffy | 1933–1934 | Monaghan[b] | ||
W. T. Cosgrave | 1934–1944 | Carlow–Kilkenny | President of the Executive Council (for Cumann na nGaedheal)
( 3rd ,
5th Executive Council of the Irish Free State )
| |
Richard Mulcahy | 1944–1959[c] | Tipperary | John A. Costello as Taoiseach[d]
7th Government of Ireland )
| |
James Dillon | 1959–1965 | Monaghan | ||
Liam Cosgrave | 1965–1977 | Dún Laoghaire | 14th Government of Ireland )
| |
Garret FitzGerald | 1977–1987 | Dublin South-East | 19th Government of Ireland )
| |
Alan Dukes | 1987–1990 | Kildare South | ||
John Bruton | 1990–2001 | Meath | 1994– 24th Government of Ireland )
| |
Michael Noonan | 2001–2002 | Limerick East | ||
Enda Kenny | 2002–2017 | Mayo | 30th Government of Ireland )
| |
Leo Varadkar | 2017–2024 | Dublin West | 2017– 33rd Government of Ireland )
| |
Simon Harris | 2024–present | Wicklow |
Deputy leader
Name | Period | Constituency |
---|---|---|
Tom O'Higgins | 1972–1977 | Dublin County South |
Peter Barry | 1977–1987 | Cork South-Central |
John Bruton | 1987–1990 | Meath |
Peter Barry | 1991–1993 | Cork South-Central |
Nora Owen | 1993–2001 | Dublin North |
Jim Mitchell | 2001–2002 | Dublin Central |
Richard Bruton | 2002–2010 | Dublin North-Central |
James Reilly | 2010–2017 | Dublin North |
Simon Coveney | 2017–2024 | Cork South-Central |
Heather Humphreys | 2024–present | Cavan–Monaghan |
Seanad leader
Name | Period | Panel |
---|---|---|
Michael J. O'Higgins | 1973–1977 | Nominated member of Seanad Éireann |
Patrick Cooney | 1977–1981 | Cultural and Educational Panel |
Gemma Hussey | 1981–1982 | National University of Ireland |
James Dooge | 1982–1987 | National University of Ireland |
Maurice Manning | 1987–2002 | Cultural and Educational Panel |
Brian Hayes | 2002–2007 | Cultural and Educational Panel |
Michael Finucane | 2007 (acting) | Labour Panel |
Frances Fitzgerald | 2007–2011 | Labour Panel |
Maurice Cummins | 2011–2016 | Labour Panel |
Jerry Buttimer | 2016–2020 | Labour Panel |
Regina Doherty | 2020–present | Nominated member of Seanad Éireann |
Electoral results
Dáil Éireann
Election | Leader | 1st pref votes |
% | Seats | ± | Government |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1937 | W. T. Cosgrave | 461,171 | 34.8 (#2) | 48 / 138
|
11[e] | Opposition |
1938 | 428,633 | 33.3 (#2) | 45 / 138
|
3 | Opposition | |
1943 | 307,490 | 23.1 (#2) | 32 / 138
|
12 | Opposition | |
1944 | Richard Mulcahy | 249,329 | 20.5 (#2) | 30 / 138
|
2 | Opposition |
1948 | 262,393 | 19.8 (#2) | 31 / 147
|
1 | FG–LP–CnP–CnT–NLP minority | |
1951 | 349,922 | 27.2 (#2) | 40 / 147
|
9 | Opposition | |
1954 | 427,031 | 32.0 (#2) | 50 / 147
|
10 | FG–LP–CnT | |
1957 | 326,699 | 26.6 (#2) | 40 / 147
|
10 | Opposition | |
1961 | James Dillon | 374,099 | 32.0 (#2) | 47 / 144
|
7 | Opposition |
1965 | 427,081 | 34.1 (#2) | 47 / 144
|
Opposition | ||
1969 | Liam Cosgrave | 449,749 | 34.1 (#2) | 50 / 144
|
3 | Opposition |
1973 | 473,781 | 35.1 (#2) | 54 / 144
|
4 | FG–LP | |
1977 | 488,767 | 30.5 (#2) | 43 / 148
|
11 | Opposition | |
1981 | Garret FitzGerald | 626,376 | 36.5 (#2) | 65 / 166
|
22 | FG–LP minority |
Feb 1982 | 621,088 | 37.3 (#2) | 63 / 166
|
2 | Opposition | |
Nov 1982 | 662,284 | 39.2 (#2) | 70 / 166
|
7 | FG-LP | |
1987 | 481,127 | 27.1 (#2) | 51 / 166
|
19 | Opposition | |
1989 | Alan Dukes | 485,307 | 29.3 (#2) | 55 / 166
|
4 | Opposition |
1992 | John Bruton | 422,106 | 24.5 (#2) | 45 / 166
|
10 | Opposition (1992–1994) |
FG–LP–DL (1994–1997) | ||||||
1997 | 499,936 | 27.9 (#2) | 54 / 166
|
9 | Opposition | |
2002 | Michael Noonan | 417,619 | 22.5 (#2) | 31 / 166
|
23 | Opposition |
2007 | Enda Kenny | 564,428 | 27.3 (#2) | 51 / 166
|
20 | Opposition |
2011 | 801,628 | 36.1 (#1) | 76 / 166
|
25 | FG–LP | |
2016 | 544,410 | 25.5 (#1) | 50 / 158
|
26 | FG minority | |
2020[127] | Leo Varadkar | 455,568 | 20.9 (#3) | 35 / 160
|
15 | FF–FG–GP |
Presidential elections
Election | Candidate | 1st pref. votes |
% | +/– | Position |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1938 | Supported Douglas Hyde as an independent | ||||
1945 | Seán Mac Eoin | 335,539 | 30.9% | — | 2 |
1959 | Seán Mac Eoin | 417,536 | 43.7% | — | 2 |
1966 | Tom O'Higgins | 548,144 | 49.5% | 5.8 | 2 |
1973 | Tom O'Higgins | 587,771 | 48% | 1.5 | 2 |
1974 | Supported Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh with Fianna Fáil per agreement | ||||
1990 | Austin Currie | 267,902 | 17% | — | 3 |
1997 | Mary Banotti | 372,002 | 29.3% | 12.3 | 2 |
2004 | Supported Mary McAleese as an independent | ||||
2011 | Gay Mitchell | 113,321 | 6.4% | — | 4 |
2018 | Supported Michael D Higgins as an independent |
European Parliament
Election | 1st pref Votes |
% | Seats | +/– |
---|---|---|---|---|
1979 | 464,451 | 33.1 (#2) | 4 / 15
|
|
1984 | 361,034 | 32.2 (#2) | 6 / 15
|
2 |
1989 | 353,094 | 21.6 (#2) | 4 / 15
|
2 |
1994 | 276,095 | 24.3 (#2) | 4 / 15
|
|
1999 | 342,171 | 24.6 (#2) | 4 / 15
|
|
2004 | 494,412 | 27.8 (#1) | 5 / 13
|
1 |
2009 | 532,889 | 29.1 (#1) | 4 / 12
|
1 |
2014 | 369,120 | 22.3 (#2) | 4 / 11
|
|
2019 | 496,459 | 29.6 (#1) | 5 / 13
|
1 |
Electoral performance since 2009
In the 2009 local elections held on 5 June 2009, Fine Gael won 556 seats, surpassing Fianna Fáil which won 407 seats, and making Fine Gael the largest party of local government nationally.[128] They gained 88 seats from their 2004 result.
In the 2009 European Parliament election held on the same day as the local elections, which saw a reduction in the number seats from 13 to 12 for Ireland, the party won four seats, retaining the largest number of seats of an Irish party in the European Parliament. This was a loss of one seat from its 2004 result.[129]
In the 2011 general election, Fine Gael gained 25 seats bringing them to a total of 76. The party ran candidates in all 43 constituencies and had candidates elected in every constituency except Dublin North-West. Fine Gael won 19 seats in Seanad Éireann following the 2011 election, a gain of four from the previous election in 2007.
While Fine Gael was responsible for the initial nomination of the uncontested, first President of Ireland, Douglas Hyde, a Fine Gael candidate has never won an election to the office of president. The Fine Gael presidential candidate, Gay Mitchell, finished fourth in the 2011 presidential election, with 6.4% of the vote.[130] In 2004, Fine Gael supported the re-election of President Mary McAleese. Similarly, it supported the re-election of Michael D. Higgins in the 2018 presidential election.
In the
Front bench
Young Fine Gael
Young Fine Gael (YFG) is the autonomous youth movement of Fine Gael. It was founded in 1976 by the then leader Garret FitzGerald. It caters for young people under 35 with an interest in Fine Gael and politics, in cities, towns and third level colleges throughout Ireland. YFG is led by its national executive consisting of ten members elected on a regional basis, and on a national panel.
See also
Notes
- ^ Fine Gael had 5 MEPs elected at the 2019 European Parliament election. Deirdre Clune, the fifth candidate elected for South, did not take her seat until the UK left the EU and its MEPs vacated their seats.
- ^ O'Duffy did not hold a seat in the Oireachtas while he was party leader.
- ^ While Mulcahy was a member of the Seanad in 1944, Tom O'Higgins acted as parliamentary party leader. Between 1948 and 1959, John A. Costello served as parliamentary leader.
- ^ While Mulcahy was party leader, Costello was Taoiseach on two occasions.
- ^ The total number of Fine Gael TDs is compared to the combined total won by Cumann na nGaedheal and the National Centre Party at the previous general election.
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Bibliography
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