Bruton feared wealth tax backlash by farmers

THE backlash against Finance Minister Richie Ryan's Wealth Tax proposals led Fine Gael TDs to warn the Taoiseach they would lose the next election.

Future Taoiseach John Bruton told Liam Cosgrave in a letter in May 1974 a delegation from the Irish Farmers Association had approached him to let him know the new tax was "totally unacceptable to them".

"You know I have strong family associations with the IFA and its individual members played no small part in my election to the Dáil in the last two general elections. I therefore take this organisation very seriously," Bruton wrote.