Former colleagues remember a man of strong commitment

The former British Prime Minister, John Major,John Bruton was a brave and talented Taoiseach who contributed mightily to the early days of the peace process.

Saying he was "shocked to learn" of Mr Bruton's death, he said that: "In testing circumstances, he put peace above political self-interest to progress the path towards the end of violence. He was a formidable servant of the Irish nation and of peace, and I am deeply saddened at his passing.”

Former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern said that Mr Bruton’s dedication and distinguished service, encompassing roles as a TD, Minister, and Taoiseach, have left a significant mark on the political landscape of Ireland.

“Throughout his tenure in politics, Mr Bruton implemented policies that significantly shaped the trajectory of our country, demonstrating a keen understanding of governance and a commitment to the betterment of the lives of our citizens.”

Former Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny said Ireland had lost “a true patriot” and “we have all lost a good friend”.

“I had the privilege to serve with John in Dáil Eireann and in Government over many years. He was a distinguished parliamentarian who became a great Taoiseach, always guided by his passion for social justice. As Taoiseach, he laid much of the groundwork for future positive progress in the Northern Ireland peace process."

“John will be remembered by most as an honourable person with great resilience and a wonderful sense of humour, who always put his country first. He was outstanding in his commitment to the European Union and excelled in explaining the EU to American politicians from both parties.”

John Bruton's Tanaiste, former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Labour Party leader, Dick Spring, described him as a man of strong conviction with unbounded commitment to public service.

Mr Spring, who was out of the country when he learned of Mr Bruton’s death, said: “I am a long way from home for family reasons and I have only just heard of the death of John Bruton. Immediately, my thoughts went to Finola, his children Matthew, Juliana, Emily, and Mary, and of course John’s brother, Richard. “I offer them my deepest condolences and sympathy. They will derive comfort, I hope, from the memory of a man of endless energy, relentless ideas, and enormous enthusiasm. John was a man with no side to him, always ready to laugh and hugely generous and hospitable. It will not be a secret that the relationship between John and me got off to a rocky start. We fought many battles in the 1980s in particular.

“John was a man of strong conviction and not one to back away from an argument if he felt it necessary. He also had a strong ideological commitment to the role of private enterprise, sometimes to the exclusion of all else, and that led to its fair share of disagreements. We worked together again in the 1990s when John became Taoiseach. To his endless credit, he had resolved to build a team out of different personalities and perspectives, and he did it by listening and through a process of calm discussion.”

Their fellow Rainbow Coalition leader, Proinsias de Rossa, said he was deeply saddened to hear of the death of John, who was "indisputably a statesman whose unstinting contribution to political, economic and social progress, and peace on this island, will in the goodness of time come to be fully acknowledged."

Former President, Mary McAleese and her husband, Martin, said John Bruton leaves an admirable political legacy of sheer decency and integrity which made a difference nationally and internationally.

Mr Bruton's running mate in Meath in eight successive general elections, John V Farrelly, said: “John’s achievements as Taoiseach, Minister for Finance and EU Ambassador have been discussed in great detail in recent days. The only thing I would like to add to the assessments of his international involvement is - I served from 1987-1990 with John on the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe was created after World War II, as an Assembly for politicians from different European countries. Its purpose was to get countries to know and understand each other, to prevent another tragic war. John used every second of every Council of Europe meeting to improve his understanding of other countries, other politicians, and the important issues.

“He was a lifelong learner, listener, reader, writer and debater."

Mary Wallace, a former Fianna Fáil TD for Meath, said: "As a colleague representing Meath throughout the '80s and '90s, I found John great to work with, very sincere and honest in his representation, with no drama and no nonsense. He served his people and his country with great dignity."