Albert Reynolds

No, it's the kind of story that should bring down the government.

In 1994, the Labour Fianna Fáil government of Albert Reynolds broke down because Albert Reynolds tried to nominate to the High Court a fellow called Harry Whelan, who was the Attorney General.

And the Labour Party said, we can't stay in government if you do this, because when he was Attorney General, there was a delay in prosecuting Brendan Smith.

the paedophile priest.

An actor.

I don't know what the extent of that but it only went to 94 so it was Michael D. Higgins who was Minister of Culture at the time who lifted the ban well he was a minister who lifted the ban but I would say Taoiseach Albert Reynolds had a big say in it so it was literally just after Downing Street Declaration one of Reynolds' key planks of ending the violence was talking to everyone involved in the violence people needed to talk to all of the players here And I'd imagine he had a big say in that being removed.

And obviously, at the end of the IRA, he's far happened that August.

Steve Coogan on the day, what's it called, the week of this week, Chris Morris' satirical show, famously satirised

Would you ask John what does he think of former Taoiseach, he says.

Former prime ministers like CJ, Hoagie and Albert Reynolds, would they have sold Ireland out like the current traders in office? I think not.

All the very best to Sean.

Thank you, Sean.

He does two sensible things.

He, um, when he's, uh, he's brought into, uh, into Dáil Éireann, um, he attaches himself to sort of Albert Reynolds, a close friend of his father, to learn the sort of the ropes of the Dáil, and he attaches himself to a man called Ger Connolly in, um, a local TD in Offaly, local Fianna Fáil TD, to sort of learn the ropes of the, uh, uh, of the constituency.

Uh, but from an early stage, Haughey realizes it, uh, Bertie Ahern realizes it, other peop- Albert Reynolds, uh, that this guy is formidably bright.

He had a stellar career at Roscrea, uh, College, a boarding school in Offaly, um, where he was also a very gifted, uh, sports person.

And, um, but they are, they, they, they know what they have.

But the, uh, I mean, I'm afraid a horse has certainly bolted.

But one thing I would say, uh, and perhaps it's something that, uh, needs reiterating, uh- When I read Leo Varadkar's book this time last year, an interesting book, but, uh, suffering from what all these autobiographies suffer from, where is the, the, the lack of self-reflection about, uh, decisions that might or might not have been taken.

Like, just to g- just for the listeners, there's a great chapter in Albert Reynolds' book, uh, called If Mistakes Were Made, They Were Made By Others.

But I was privy to what was going on in the peace process.

And, and I remember just before the, uh, Provos declared, um, uh, that the war was ceasing, um, and Albert Reynolds was, was Taoiseach, and, and to make progress in negotiations, the shooting and the bombings had to stop.

Uh, and then ultimately you got to the negotiations, and decommissioning then became one of the issues that was of central importance.

I, I remember all of that.

Here, here's the rub.

Now, if, uh, Jennifer Carroll McNeil wants to become, if you like, the Albert Reynolds for medicine as Albert was for telecoms, we were, when he took over as the minister, we were in the electromechanical-

Yes

...era of switches where you dialed and went ticka, ticka, ticka, ticka.

Philip Reynolds took over his family business at just 25 and grew it to 500 million euro in sales.

He's the son of former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, a businessman, investor, and now he's building his next venture.

Philip Reynolds, you're very welcome to the podcast.

Thank you very much.

Delighted to be with you.

Now, Philip, tell me this.

Growing up as the son of Albert Reynolds, what was that like?

I'll give you a bit of background 'cause there's seven of us.

He can go ahead, although I don't get the impression he can.

I mean, half the problem with, and I said this to him and he laughed uproariously, I said, listen, Brian, there's a chapter in Albert Reynolds' book, his autobiography, and Brian Conrad has great respect for Reynolds, served with him, Reynolds appointed minister for the first time in 1992, and it's called If Mistakes Were Made, They Were Made By Others.

LAUGHTER And this goes to the collapse of two coalition governments, the 89-92 PD Fianna Fáil government and the 92-94 Labour Fianna Fáil government.

And I think most neutral observers would say Albert Reynolds had a pretty big part to play in the fall of both of them.

But the problem with autobiography is you see everything in your own rose-tinted glasses.

And I was very keen that he wouldn't.

He doesn't go in with any ears and graces.

He learns the ropes from two people.

Brings you the latest news from 1992.

On the 6th of November, 1992, the coalition government of the Republic of Ireland collapsed following a high-profile rift between Prime Minister Albert Reynolds and his coalition partners, the Labour Party, over allegations made during a tribunal into the beef industry.

The walkout by Labour ministers stripped the government of its parliamentary majority, prompting a flash general election on November 25th, 1992.

And now time turns.