Garret FitzGerald was "the greatest advertisement against ageism that I know", Minister for Finance Brian Cowen said last night. He was launching Dr FitzGerald's new book, Ireland in the World, Further Reflections, in Dublin Castle.
The former taoiseach was a highly regarded figure across the Irish political spectrum, Mr Cowen said, and proved "we can make our own history in Ireland and not be prisoners of our past". Irish politics and public affairs nowadays, he said, were overly caught up with "short-term opportunistic point-scoring" and "theatrics".
"We really do need to engage in the affairs of the State in a way that is far more challenging and far more inspiring."
Mr Cowen said Dr FitzGerald typified a rational approach to politics that he, and other politicians, looked up to. Dr FitzGerald, who is approaching 80, said the book's compilation came about because of a "function of two weaknesses": an inability to say "no" when called on to speak and a life-long curiosity with all aspects of Irish life.