Richard Bruton

Infobox Politician
name = Richard Bruton
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office = Teachta Dála
term_start = February 1982
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residence = Dublin
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alma_mater = University College Dublin
& Nuffield College, Oxford.
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birth_date = Birth date and age|1953|3|15|df=y
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constituency3 = Dublin North Central
party = Fine Gael|

Richard Bruton ( _ga. Risteárd De Briotún; born 15 March 1953) is an Irish politician and has been a TD for Dublin North Central since 1982. He is a member of Fine Gael, currently Ireland's second largest political party. He is a former Irish government Minister — serving as Minister for Enterprise and Employment (1994 — 1997). He is currently the Opposition Spokesperson on Finance and Deputy-Leader of Fine Gael.

Early and private life

Richard Bruton was born in Dublin, and grew up in Dunboyne, County Meath. He was educated at Belvedere College, Clongowes Wood College, University College Dublin and Nuffield College, Oxford.cite web |url= http://richardbruton.finegael.ie/Representatives/common/index.cfm/TD_Key/10
title=Richard Bruton TD|work=Fine Gael Party Website|accessdate=2008-07-31] At Oxford he graduated with a MPhil in Economics. He is a Research Economist by profession,cite web |url= http://www.richardbruton.net/profile.asp
title=Profile of Richard Bruton|work=Richard Bruton's official website|accessdate=2008-07-31] , and has worked at the Economic and Social Research Institute.

He is the brother of John Bruton — former Taoiseach and current EU Ambassador to the United States.

Political career

Bruton was first elected to Seanad Éireann in 1981 as a Senator. At the February 1982 general election he was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fine Gael TD. From 1986 to 1987 he served as Minister for State at the Department of Industry and Commerce. He was then appointed Opposition Spokesperson for Enterprise & Employment.

After the 1992 general election, Fianna Fáil and the Labour Party formed a coalition government, which collapsed in 1994. Bruton then helped to negotiate the "Rainbow Coalition" between Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Democratic Left. In that government his brother, John Bruton, became Taoiseach. Richard Bruton took the highest ranking Fine Gael ministerial position, serving as Minister for Enterprise and Employment.

Among Fine Gael's disastrous results in the 2002 general election, Bruton was one of the few front bench Fine Gael TDs to retain his seat. In all, the party lost 23 of its 54 seats, and leader Michael Noonan resigned. Bruton stood as a candidate in the subsequent leadership election. He was defeated by Enda Kenny but instead was appointed deputy-leader of Fine Gael. He is currently the party spokesperson for Finance.

References

External links

* [http://www.richardbruton.net/ Richard Bruton's official website] .
* [http://richardbruton.finegael.ie/Representatives/common/index.cfm/TD_Key/10 Richard Bruton's profile on Fine Gael party's official website] .
* [http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?MemberFirstName=richard&MemberName=bruton&restr=0&disp=src&housetype=&HouseNum=&ConstID= Official Oireachtas Database entry for Richard Bruton] .
* [http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=3443 Richard Bruton's electoral history] (ElectionsIreland.org).

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