Des O'Malley: Founder of Ireland's Progressive Democrats dies

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Des O'Malley (standing) founded and led the Progressive Democrats

Des O'Malley, the founder and former leader of the Republic of Ireland's Progressive Democrats party, has died at the age of 82.

Mr O'Malley served as a TD (member of parliament) from 1968 until 2002.

Originally a member of Fianna FΓ‘il, he held a number of ministerial posts over the course of his political career.

Mr O'Malley, then a solicitor, was first elected in a 1968 by-election to fill his late uncle Donogh O'Malley's Fianna FΓ‘il seat in Limerick East.

In 1970, the 31-year-old was appointed minister for justice under Taoiseach Jack Lynch.

He took a tough line with the IRA, establishing the Special Criminal Court and introducing the Offences Against the State Act.

Skip Twitter content, 1
Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter and before accepting. To view this content choose 'accept and continue'.

Warning: Third party content may contain adverts

End of Twitter content, 1

In 1985, he was expelled from Fianna FΓ‘il and founded the Progressive Democrats after he abstained in a vote on a bill introduced by the Fine Gael-Labour government to repeal the ban on contraceptives for the unmarried.

Fianna FΓ‘il opposed the bill.

The new party won 14 seats in its first election in 1987, making it the third biggest in the DΓ‘il (parliament).

Two years later Mr O'Malley agreed to form a Fianna FΓ‘il-PD coalition government with Charles Haughey, who he had opposed as leader while a member of Fianna FΓ‘il.

The Progressive Democrats pulled out of government in 1993, after which Mr O'Malley retired as party leader.

Skip Twitter content, 2
Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter and before accepting. To view this content choose 'accept and continue'.

Warning: Third party content may contain adverts

End of Twitter content, 2

He retired from public life in 2002.

Taoiseach MicheΓ‘l Martin paid tribute to Mr O'Malley, saying he "loved his country and was fearless in challenging those who used violence to undermine it".

TΓ‘naiste (deputy prime minister) and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar described Mr O'Malley as a "giant of politics", who "left a lasting and positive legacy".