The Just Society

Although John A Costello had led the Inter-Party Governments for Fine Gael, it was Richard Mulcahy who had succeeded WT Cosgrave as Party Leader in the Dáil.

When Mulcahy quit, James Dillon, son of former Irish Parliamentary Party leader John Dillon, succeeded him.

Under Dillon' s leadership, the party took a new approach to a changing Ireland and to the need for social and economic reform.

James Dillon

The Party performed well in the Presidential elections of 1959 and 1966, when Fine Gael candidate TF O'Higgins came close to defeating Eamon de Valera in the race for Áras an Uachtaráin.

In the General Elections held in that decade, the Party held its own.

Declan Costello

By 1965 a new generation of politicians such as Declan Costello and Garret FitzGerald were dominating Fine Gael, and the Party adopted The Just Society document. In it, Fine Gael stated:

"Fundamentally we are concerned with making a reality of two concepts: Freedom and equality. Irish society today denies the full realisation of those concepts for all citizens. It is therefore not a just society. We seek office to work towards a society in which freedom and equality are not concepts for an academic textbook, but are expressed in real and tangible conditions which all our people can enjoy."

The Just Society document saw the Party embrace the need for governments to act positively in order to improve the lives of the people.

It proposed root-and-branch reform of the public sector, as well as radically improved health and social welfare services.

It was with The Just Society in mind that new Party Leader, Liam Cosgrave agreed a pact with the Labour Party and formed the National Coalition that propelled Fine Gael into office in 1973.