Former Irish leaders remember John Bruton as an ‘icon’ with extraordinary career

Former Irish premiers have paid tribute to their predecessor John Bruton as a man brimming with ideas and who worked “extremely hard” for his country.

Enda Kenny, who served as taoiseach from 2011-2017, said his Fine Gael colleague John Bruton’s death marks the passing of “a political icon in Co Meath and in Ireland”.

Former taoiseach and Fianna Fail leader, who won the 1997 Irish election that would deny John Bruton a second term in government, said the former premier had an “extraordinary career”.