Taoiseach leads tributes to Conor Cruise O’Brien

The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, has been leading tributes for former Government minister and journalist Conor Cruise O'Brien, who died last night at the age of 91.

Mr O'Brien was Minister for Posts and Telegraphs during the Fine Gael-Labour coalition in the 1970s and also went on to become a Senator.

He later became editor-in-chief of the Observer newspaper in the UK and was a strong critic of Charles Haughey, as well as Sinn Féin and the IRA.

Dr O'Brien is perhaps best-known for his part in introducing a broadcasting ban on members of Sinn Féin and also defended the violent mistreatment of republican suspects by the Gardaí.

He later joined the hardline UK Unionist Party in the North.

Mr Cowen said last night that Dr O'Brien had been a leading figure in Irish life since the 1960s, challenging and passionate, with sincere commitments to a better and more peaceful Ireland.

Labour party TD Joan Burton, meanwhile, said he was responsible for some defining moments in Irish politics.

Dr O'Brien is survived by his wife, the Irish-language poet Maire Mhac an tSaoi, their two adopted children and two other children from his first marriage.