Garret FitzGerald

FitzGerald became Taoiseach in June 1981, leading a Fine Gael-Labour coalition. He was an economist and intellectual, advocating for liberal social reforms and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. His first term lasted only nine months due to a budget defeat.

FitzGerald launched a 'constitutional crusade' to liberalize Irish society, including proposals to remove the constitutional ban on divorce and to reform laws on contraception. The campaign faced strong opposition from the Catholic Church and conservative elements, and many reforms were delayed.

FitzGerald, as Taoiseach, negotiated and signed the Anglo-Irish Agreement with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on November 15, 1985. The agreement established the Intergovernmental Conference, giving Dublin a formal role in Northern Ireland affairs. It was a landmark in Anglo-Irish relations.

FitzGerald's coalition government was defeated in the 1987 Irish general election by Fianna F