The Legacy of Charles J. Haughey Alan Byrne
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46 Someone had to live in the Big House: The legacy of Charles J. Haughey Alan Byrne “Fianna Fail was good for builders, and builders (IFSC), and the beginnings of social partnership with were good for Fianna Fáil. Everything was the trade unions, as having laid the foundations for the planned, someone had to live in the big house Celtic Tiger boom in the 1990s. His patronage of the arts and Haughey created a marvellous situation.” — often comes in for praise also, having removed income Patrick Gallagher, developer and financial backer of tax for artists as Minister for Finance in 1969, as well Haughey.1 as establishing Aosdána in 1981. Despite revelations of corruption, Haughey died in 2006 never having ecember 2019 marks 40 years since the accession seen the inside of a prison cell. His graveside oration of Ireland’s most controversial leader, Charles J. was delivered by then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern (himself Haughey, to the office of Taoiseach. Haughey’s later forced to resign following allegations of private comeback to be elected leader of Fianna Fáil after payments of his own) who remarked that “Despite the Da decade in the political wilderness was evidence of a controversy, even political opponents acknowledge tenacious figure that could deflect criticism or probing that he had indeed done the State some service[…] inquiries with ease. Haughey was also in debt to AIB to The ultimate judgement of history will be positive.”3 the tune of over £1m, having spent most of the 1970s This article will aim to challenge this sanitised view of living on a massive overdraft while ostensibly earning Charles J Haughey, and argue that on balance, Haughey only a TDs salary. Later tribunals would unearth a list of was ultimately damaging to the country: a corrupt, donors who funded Haughey’s lavish lifestyle, through anti-working-class enabler of the normalisation of cosy various personal donations kept in offshore accounts, relations between politicians and the super-wealthy. free from the scrutiny of the Revenue Commissioners. Haughey had no qualms about telling the people of Ministerial career Ireland that they were living beyond their means, Haughey joined Fianna Fáil in 1948, mainly through despite his own status as a kept man. Yet, for a figure friendship with Harry Boland and George Colley. He mired in such obvious corruption and contempt for the married Maureen Lemass, daughter of Seán, in 1951. working class, even today it is not unusual to encounter Lemass had set about the re-organisation of Fianna apologists from all classes regarding Haughey. For Fáil during their period in opposition between 1954-7, some, Haughey’s obvious wealth was an expression of with the aim of anointing a new, younger generation of a remark made by his father-in-law, Seán Lemass, that politicians.4 Bryce Evans argues that Haughey’s quick the national tide lifts all boats.2 His tenure in various rise to a central role within Fianna Fáil, despite some departments in the 1960s is often heralded as showcasing disappointing early attempts at election, were less to his progressive vision as a legislator. His introduction of do with personal favours and more to do with what free travel for pensioners in 1969 is commonly cited as Haughey represented through his overt ambition within an example of his personal commitment to the elderly. the organisation. Haughey was indicative of a new type Others cite his policies from 1987, including cutbacks, of Fianna Fáil, aiming to move away from protectionism the foundation of the Irish Financial Services Centre and towards cultivating overt business contacts. Lemass 47 appointed Haughey to create a de facto elite branch of Further acts such as The Street and House-to- the party, ‘Comh-Chomhairle Átha Cliath’, to recruit “a House Collections Act placed restrictions on public number of fee paying associate members” to aid with collections, with the aim of curbing begging. Ryle policy formulation and fundraising. Haughey, Brian Dwyer notes that this highlights Haughey’s legislation Lenihan and Donogh O’Malley came to represent these being, in general, slanted in favour of the wealthy new, overt links, particularly with builders and property and against the underprivileged. A Sales Tax was also speculators, and the younger ministers were often seen introduced at this time, ostensibly to improve funds socialising with them in bars and restaurants.5 for welfare provisions, but as Noel Browne pointed out Haughey was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1957 on in a Dáil debate, taxes of this kind were inclined to hit his third attempt. In 1959, he was made parliamentary the poorest hardest. Although the bill did not emanate secretary to the Department of Justice, despite the from Haughey’s department, speaking in defence of the opposition of the then Minister for Justice, Oscar increases embroiled him in a row with Browne. For his Traynor. Haughey would later recall that Lemass warned efforts, Haughey branded him a communist and several him that, as Taoiseach, it was his duty to offer him the spats ensued. Dwyer notes that by publicly rowing job, but as his father-in-law he would advise him not to with Browne, the latter being “a champion of the poor take it.6 Nevertheless, Lemass himself intervened and and underprivileged”, Haughey was “inevitably seen personally ruled out three other potential candidates as a friend of the rich, and his ostentatious lifestyle for the role.7 Haughey’s maiden speech to the Dail 1957 exacerbated the impression.”12 advocated tax reductions and made his pro-capitalist A situation developed during Haughey’s tenure in sympathies clear: “[T]he trouble with this country […] Justice which enabled politicians and friends to evade is that too many people are making insufficient profits.”8 media scrutiny for breaking the law. Haughey arranged Oscar Traynor retired in 1961 paving the way for for ‘special courts’ to sit at irregular hours, usually after Haughey to take over his first Ministerial portfolio in the 5pm. This played on the well-known habits of journalists Department of Justice. Haughey received much praise as at the time, who would have decamped to the pub by a progressive legislator during his tenure. The de facto that point in the evening. Sympathetic judges, who were abolition of the death penalty and prison reform9 are two political appointees, would then return to court to hear well-noted initiatives, and particular emphasis is often a case afterwards. This meant that a penalty would still placed on the Succession Act which allowed widows au- be imposed, but would spare the offending politician tomatic entitlements to their deceased husband’s prop- from the embarrassment of media scrutiny. It was a erty, whereas previously a man could bequeath all prop- perfectly legal manoeuvre, but indicative of Haughey’s erty to a third party, such as a Church.10 Yet even at this skulduggery.13 early stage, Haughey’s record is dubious. He introduced One of the most marginalised peoples in Ireland, The Courts (Supplemental Provisions Amendment) Act the Travelling Community, were often dismissed as which contained a measure to increase the salaries of a ‘problem’ by public and politicians alike. In 1960 Judges. In defending this provision, Haughey’s attitudes a Commission on Itinerancy was established by the towards wealth were further made clear: Taoiseach with the intention of solving this so-called “It is a natural tendency to be envious of highly ‘problem’. Haughey abdicated responsibility for the paid people and I accuse the opposition of playing Commission during Dáil debates,14 but the process was on that simple human emotion and trying to make largely driven by him during his tenure as parliamentary political capital out of it […] A man who is only secretary. Haughey delivered a speech at the inaugural earning £9 or £10 a week is going to resent an meeting of the commission, noting that he was tasked already highly-paid member of the judiciary getting with carrying out a preliminary survey on the issue and an increase. It is difficult to explain to such a man that “there was a need for some one body to examine why this is necessary, and the Opposition are doing the problem as a whole in all its aspects if it was to their best to make sure that the people will be as be tackled in a fundamental way. It was apparent to envious as possible.”11 me that the task of carrying out such an examination IRISH MARXIST REVIEW 48 with a view to finding a solution or series of solutions name was not necessarily hindrance to endear him to must be placed in the hands of a Commission.”15 pensioners, with one resident stating “God bless Charlie The Commission contained no representative from and the free travel.”24 While any socialist should welcome the Travelling community, consistently referred to the extension of free travel, Haughey’s motives were not Travellers as ‘itinerants’ and recommended the forced simply altruistic. Anne Chambers notes that Haughey assimilation of Travellers into the settled community. was very keen to take public credit for measures such The report was published in 1963 and remained the as the free travel scheme, whereas this would have basis for state discrimination against Travellers for a involved a wider anonymous civil-service participation further 50 years.16/17 Haughey’s framing of Travellers’ in its drafting, and such personal glory generally went way of life as a ‘problem’ was also repeated in his against the previous ethos at the Department.25 As the speeches from this period.18 playwright Hugh Leonard put it: “No one will dispute Haughey never shied away from his obvious ambition that to catch a vote Mr Haughey would unhesitatingly to lead Fianna Fáil and become Taoiseach.