A life in politics
1977 Unsuccessful candidate for Fianna Fáil in Dublin South East in the general election in which Fianna Fáil, led by Jack Lynch, scored a landslide victory. Lynch then appointed her to the Seanad. At the age of 24, she was the youngest ever member of the Upper House. She had joined Fianna Fáil while a student in Trinity College Dublin, where she was the first woman auditor of the college's Historical Society.
1981 Elected to the Dáil for the first time in Dublin South West, in the late Charles Haughey's first general election as party leader.
1982 Became an implacable opponent of Haughey's leadership, finding common cause with strong Haughey critics including Des O'Malley, Bobby Molloy and the late George Colley. Voted against Haughey in leadership heaves. She was the first Fianna Fáil TD to speak out against the 1983 abortion referendum.
1985 Expelled from Fianna Fáil for supporting the Anglo-Irish Agreement, which had been negotiated by the then Fine Gael-Labour government.
With others, including Michael McDowell, a former Fine Gael activist, she persuaded Des O'Malley to set up the Progressive Democrats. Her public speaking abilities made her a notably effective Dáil performer.
1989 Was unsuccessful candidate in the European elections, she narrowly held on to her Dáil seat in the general election held on the same day. In the subsequent FF-PD coalition government, agreed after protracted negotiations, she was appointed minister of state for the environment with responsibility for environmental protection. Had an uneasy relationship with the senior Fianna Fáil minister in her department, Pádraig Flynn, but made her mark in banning smoky coal and eliminating smog in Dublin.
1993 Appointed the Progressive Democrats' spokeswoman on justice, equality and law reform.
Following Des O'Malley's surprise resignation as party leader, she replaced him, defeating Pat Cox who later left the party. She was the State's first woman party leader in the Dáil.
1997 With Harney in her first general election as party leader, the PDs won just four seats, but with the support of Independents, Fianna Fáil and the PDs were able to form a government led by Bertie Ahern. She became minister for enterprise, trade and employment and the State's first woman tánaiste. As the economy improved, she presided over job creation.
2002 Elected for the new constituency of Dublin Mid West.
The PDs double their number of Dáil seats to eight. She returned to the same government department and began a second term as tánaiste in the current FF-PD Government.
2004 Opted to move to the Department of Health in a Cabinet reshuffle.
It was the beginning of a controversial period in her ministerial career, as she clashed with medical consultants and came under pressure on the state of hospital accident and emergency services.
2006 Tension became public between Harney and McDowell over when she intended to stand down as party leader.
September 7th, 2006: Announces she is standing down from the party leadership, emphasising that it is her decision.
