AMBASSADOR'S
CORNER
AMBASSADOR
JOHN BRUTON
Head of Delegation
Biographical
Note
John
Bruton is a former
Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach), who helped
transform the Irish economy into the "Celtic
Tiger," one of the fastest growing economies in
the world. In the year before he took office
(1993) the Irish economy grew by 2.7%. During his
time as Taoiseach (1994-1997), the Irish economy
grew at an annual average rate of 8.7%, peaking at
11.1% in 1997. John Bruton was also deeply
involved in the Northern Irish Peace Process
leading to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, under
whose terms a conflict of allegiances dating back
to the seventeenth century was resolved.
While Prime Minister, Ambassador Bruton presided
over a successful
Irish EU Presidency in
1996
and helped finalize the
Stability and Growth Pact,
which governs the management of the single
European currency, the
Euro.
Mr. Bruton addressed a joint session of the US
Congress on
September
11, 1996, as only the 30th head of state or
government of an EU country to do so since 1945.
He was probably the only President in office of
the
European Council
to have addressed a joint session of Congress.
Further, he represented the EU at
Summit
meetings with the President of the United States
and with the Prime Ministers of Canada, Japan,
China and Korea.
Before
being appointed Ambassador to the United States,
John Bruton served as a leading member of the
Convention that drafted the proposed
European
Constitution, which was signed in Rome on
October 29, 2004. He strongly supported proposals
to give the general public a more direct say in
the choice of EU leadership by allowing the public
of the 27 EU Member States directly to elect the
President of the European Commission.
From 1999
until his appointment as Ambassador, he was one of
ten Vice Presidents of the European People's Party,
which brings together the leaderships of 74
European political parties, many of whom are in
Government in their countries.
Since 2001 he has spoken on world, the European
and Irish economic developments to influential
business and political audiences in New Zealand,
South Africa, Chile, Canada, Argentina, Mexico,
Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ukraine, Turkey, the
United Arab Emirates and numerous EU Member
States.
Since taking up his position in Washington in
2004, John Bruton has met with the President and
former Presidents of the United States and
visited
with governors, mayors, business leaders and
students in over 20 US states to explain that the
expanding European Union is good for the US
economy and good for American jobs. In Washington,
DC, Ambassador Bruton has had one-to-one meetings
with over 250 Members of Congress to explain major
EU developments and discuss the importance of the
EU-US relationship in
matters
of trade, counterterrorism, public health, energy,
the environment and the promotion of peace,
democracy and human rights around the world.
John Bruton was first elected to the Irish
Parliament ("Dáil Éireann") in 1969 at the age of
22 as a member of the Fine Gael Party, becoming
Party Leader in 1990 and leading it into
government in 1994. He previously served as
Ireland’s Minister for Finance (1981-1982 and
1986-1987); Minister for Industry & Energy
(1982-1983); Minister for Trade, Commerce &
Tourism (1983-1986); and was Parliamentary
Secretary (Junior Minister) from 1973-1977. He has
also been opposition spokesman on Agriculture and
on Education.
As Minister for Finance, he began the task of
overcoming a major budget deficit crisis for
Ireland in 1981 and made proposals to overhaul
budgetary procedures to allow long-term planning
and a realistic appraisal of the choices facing
legislators.
As Minister for Industry he prepared and had
enacted into law the comprehensive industrial
development legislation, which underpins Irish
growth to this day, and undertook a major overhaul
of Irish company law. He resigned his seat
effective November 1, 2004 to take up his
appointment as EU Commission Head of Delegation in
the United States.
John Bruton was born in 1947 and graduated from
University College Dublin with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in economics and politics in 1968 before
studying to become a barrister. He was called to
the Bar of Ireland in 1972. He holds Honorary
Degrees from Memorial University of Newfoundland
and the National University of Ireland. He is
married to Finola Bruton and has 4 adult children.
John
Bruton's letter, upon assuming his official
duties, to US President Bush;
News
Release.
