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Garret FitzGerald, 85, pictured with his granddaughters at his 75th birthday party. FitzGerald served two terms as Taoiseach. Photocall Ireland
Garret Fitzgerald
Former Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald 'gravely ill' in hospital
The two-time Fine Gael Taoiseach, 85, is on a ventilator at a hospital in Dublin with his family by his side.
TWO-TIME FORMER TAOISEACH Garret FitzGerald is ‘gravely ill’ in hospital, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has confirmed.
Speaking in New York, Kenny said his predecessor as Fine Gael leader was on a ventilator, and offered his thoughts for FitzGerald and his family.
“Ireland does not deserve to lose such an institution,” he said. “I say a prayer for his health and wellbeing.”
FitzGerald, 85, was the Taoiseach of two leading inter-party governments with Labour – between June 1981 and March 1982, and again between December 1982 and March 1987.
His time in office saw him memorably spar with then-Fianna Fáil leader Charles Haughey for a decade, and also saw him negotiate the Anglo-Irish Agreement with British prime minister Margaret Thatcher in 1985.
A TD for the constituency of Dublin South East for 23 years, retiring in 1992, FitzGerald has also been a senator, and more recently had served as Chancellor of the National University of Ireland.
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