DR NOEL BROWNE, who died aged 82 yesterday, was a controversial Minister for Health, TD, senator and member of several parties during a long political career.
He continued to generate controversy following his retirement from active politics in 1982, most notably when his autobiography, Against the Tide, which was scathing of his political enemies, was published in 1986. He remained until recently an outspoken commentator on national issues.
He will be best remembered for the controversy generated by his failed attempt to introduce the Mother and Child scheme, providing free, nonmeanstested medical care for mothers and children, and which led to his resignation as Minister for Health in April, 1951. It made him a folk hero with liberals, while his work to rid the State of the scourge of tuberculosis made him a much loved figure with many of his own generation who had seen the devastation it caused.
Born in Co Waterford into a family of seven, his father died when he was seven and his mother when he was 10. The family had to move home and his early education was at the Marist Brothers in Athlone and at Ballinrobe Christian Brothers. After his sister got a job in England, he attended preparatory school in Eastbourne and Beaumont Jesuit College.
His headmaster believed he had "anarchist tendencies" because he would not stand for a rendition of God save the King at a prize giving ceremony. After leaving Beaumont in 1934, he was befriended by the wealthy Chance family in Dublin, who offered to finance his medical studies in Trinity College and invited him to live with them.
His sister, like his mother, died of tuberculosis and he contracted the disease in school, leaving him with a lasting impression which would inspire his crusade against TB in the Department of Health.
After graduating, he worked at Dr Steevens's Hospital and at a sanatorium in the north of England. He returned to Ireland to Newcastle sanatorium, first as house physician and later as assistant medical superintendent, producing and directing a film on TB launching a newspaper and internal broadcast for patients and writing a book on the disease. He also practised as a psychiatrist.
He was persuaded by former republican Noel Hartnett to join Clann na Poblachta, the new radical republican party under Sean MacBride, and he was appointed Minister for Health on his first day as a Dail deputy for Dublin South East in 1948.
He undertook an intensive hospital building project, raising capital by mortgaging estimated receipts from the hospital sweepstakes fund. He created 8,000 extra beds, doubling the existing number and established the national blood transfusion service.
Throughout the six months of the bitter argument over the Mother and Child scheme, Dr Browne clashed with the Hierarchy, which opposed it on the grounds that it was contrary to Catholic social teaching and the rights of the family and of individuals. The scheme also met resistance from the powerful doctors' lobby, the Irish Medical Association.
Dr Browne refused to back down and on April 10th, 1951, Mr MacBride personally delivered a letter demanding that he resign as Minister, which he agreed to do.
In the Dail debate on his resignation, he attracted some unlikely allies: the conservative Fine Gael TD, Oliver J. Flanagan, who described him as the best Minister for Health in the history of the State, and the veteran Fianna Fail TD, Dan Breen.
In the subsequent general election, Dr Browne was returned as an Independent. He joined Fianna Fail in 1953 and an intense personal rivalry developed between himself and the party's TD in the constituency, Sean MacEntee. He lost his seat in the 1954 election.
In 1957, he successfully stood as an Independent and was expelled from Fianna Fail. In 1958, he founded the National Progressive Democrats with Jack McQuillan of Roscommon, and they later joined the Labour Party. He lost his seat in 1965 but he was reelected in 1969 and led the opposition to coalition at a special Labour conference in 1970.
He was denied a Labour nomination for the 1973 election when he refused to sign a pledge supporting a coalition arrangement with Fine Gael, and he successfully stood for the Seanad.
In January, 1944, Dr Browne married Phyllis Harrison. She and their two daughters survive him.
