Country owes Reynolds a great debt, says Taoiseach

IRELAND owes former leader Albert Reynolds a great debt for his contribution towards peace and prosperity, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said last night.

Speaking at the launch of Mr Reynolds’ autobiography in Dublin, Mr Cowen paid warm tribute to the man who first appointed him to Cabinet.

In a lengthy speech that mixed humour and emotion, he spoke of Mr Reynolds’ career as a minister and his short-lived, but significant, tenure as taoiseach between 1992 and 1994.