The 20th government of Ireland (10 March 1987 – 12 July 1989) was the government of Ireland formed after the 1987 general election to the 25th Dáil on 17 February 1987. It was a minority Fianna Fáil government which had the qualified support of Fine Gael, the main opposition party, an arrangement known as the Tallaght Strategy after a speech by its leader Alan Dukes. The national debt had doubled under the previous government. The government introduced budget cuts in all departments. The taxation system was also reformed. One of the major schemes put forward was the establishment of the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in Dublin. During this period the Government organised the 1,000-year anniversary of the founding of Dublin.[1]
It lasted 2 years, 111 days from its appointment until the resignation of Haughey on 29 June 1989, and continued to carry out its duties for a further 13 days until the appointment of the successor government, giving a total of 2 years, 124 days.
After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Haughey proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[3][5] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[6]
The 20th government passed three budgets through the 1987, 1988 and 1989 Finance Acts The Finance minister Ray MacSharry committed himself to bringing order to the public finances and the poor economic situation. His cutting of state spending earned him the nickname Mack the Knife.
During this time he came to be identified as Haughey's heir apparent as Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader. MacSharry, however wanted to leave politics by the time he was forty-five. He was fifty and had achieved some of the highest offices in the Irish government. In 1988 MacSharry was appointed European Commissioner, ending his domestic political career.
During this period major industrial action was taken by junior doctors. 1,800 doctors went on strike to protest their lack of job security and the governments cuts to the health budget.[24]
During this period the government faced serious difficulties dealing with Northern Ireland and the IRA. After the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement Relations improved between the Republic and Britain. However, there were tensions between the governments over the imprisonment of the Birmingham Six and the apparent shoot-to-kill policy in Northern Ireland policy of the security forces in Northern Ireland. Formal protest was made by the government following the Loughgall ambush where eight IRA members and a civilian were killed by a SAS unit.[26]
Relations improved with the extradition of Paul Kane. His appeal to the justice minister for freedom was rejected. Kane escaped from the Maze Prison in 1983 after being convicted of firearm offences.[27]
During this period the IRA managed to smuggle a gun into the Four Courts in an attempted prison escape.[28]
The 26th Dáil first met on 26 June 1989. The Dáil did not successfully nominate anyone for the position of Taoiseach on that day, with Charles Haughey, Alan Dukes and Dick Spring being defeated.[30] This was the first time that this occurred on the first sitting of the Dáil after a general election. Haughey resigned as Taoiseach on 29 June but under the provisions of Article 28.11 of the Constitution, the members of the government continued to carry out their duties until their successors were appointed.[31] The 21st government of Ireland was formed on 12 July 1989 as a coalition between Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats, with Charles Haughey again serving as Taoiseach.
^Public Service (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1987 (S.I. No. 81 of 1987). Signed on 19 March 1987. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 20 November 2019. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 28 August 2019.
^Public Service (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1987 (S.I. No. 83 of 1987). Signed on 19 March 1987. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 4 January 2020. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 21 December 2019.
^Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1987 (S.I. No. 97 of 1987). Signed on 31 March 1987. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 21 December 2019.
^Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1987 (S.I. No. 82 of 1987). Signed on 19 March 1987. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 19 November 2019. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 21 December 2019.
^Communications (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 1987 (S.I. No. 92 of 1987). Signed on 31 March 1987. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 4 August 2019. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 28 August 2019.
