Former Fianna Fáil TD Ruairi Brugha has died in Dublin at the age of 88.
He was the son of Cathal Brugha, who was the minister for defence in the first Dáil, and who was killed in the Civil War.
Former Fianna Fáil TD Ruairi Brugha was the son of Cathal Brugha, who was the minister for defence in the first Dáil, and who was killed in the Civil War
Ruairi Brugha was married to Máire MacSwiney, the only daughter of Terence MacSwiney, the former lord mayor of Cork who died on hunger-strike in Brixton Prison in 1920.
The Taoiseach said today Ruairi Brugha was "a man of firm convictions who was passionate about politics and had a deep patriotic concern for the welfare of this country".
He joined Fianna Fáil and was elected to the Dáil in 1973; in 1977 he was appointed to the European Parliament as a member of the first Irish parliamentary delegation. In the 1980s, he was a member of Seanad Eireann.
Mr Ahern added: "I last met Ruairi in October when I had the pleasure of launching History's Daughter, the remarkable memoir written by his wife Maire MacSwiney Brugha.
"I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to Maire and all of Ruairi's family."