The political week in years gone by: Dev - and Dana - elected, more troops to the North and Charles Haughey dies
Irish Examiner front page from 2006
Deputy political editor, , continues her weekly trawl through the archives and highlights some of the major political events which were making the headlines this week in years gone by.
June 13: Éamon de Valera was elected Taoiseach by 74 votes to 69. The Cork Examiner reported that "the voting came after four hours of debate made all the more exciting by reason of the fact that a number of the Independents had refused beforehand to indicate their views" and it was only during the final speeches that the five TDs declared their intention to vote for Fianna Fáil."
June: Emergency legislation making striking and picketing by employees of the EBS illegal and "punishable by heavy penalties" was approved by 111 votes to 19 in the Dáil.
The Labour Party were the only TDs to vote against it. The move came as the country faced the second power crisis in a month with the rejection of Labour Court proposals by ESB mechanical fitters who had been on strike.
June 12: As the violence escalated, Northern Ireland secretary William Whitelaw announced that 550 more troops would be immediately sent to the province.
However, he told parliament that the troops would not be deployed to so-called no-go areas of Derry as he said "the Government's desire was not to conquer areas, but to bring them into a peaceful and orderly state".
June 13: Dana Rosemary Scallon caused major upset in the Connacht-Ulster constituency by winning a seat in the European Parliament. "It's like a miracle. it's really really hard to explain," the 'All Kinds of Everything' singer said at the time. In an interview marking 50 years since she won the Eurovision for Ireland, Pat Fitzpatrick caught up with her to ask about life as a singer, mother, politician and a very famous interview with Vincent Browne, it's well worth a read.
June 13: Following a lengthy battle with prostate cancer and a heart condition, former Taoiseach Charles Haughey died at his home in Kinsealy at the age of 80.
Biographer Ryle Dwyer said Mr Haughey used his tremendous talents to get to the top of the greasy political pole, but in the process abused those talents and seriously tainted Irish politics.
You can read his examination of his political legacy and the scandal that followed him HERE.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
