Haughey, Charles James

Haughey, Charles James (hô`khē, –hē), 1925–2006, Irish politician. A successful accountant and real estate investor, he entered Parliament as a Fianna Fáil member in 1957. After holding a succession of ministerial positions in the 1960s, he was dismissed as minister of finance in 1970 for alleged gunrunning to the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He regained his party's favor and held the ministry of health and social welfare (1977–79) before becoming prime minister (1979–81, 1982, and 1987–92). In 1992 his political career came to an end when financial and wiretapping scandals forced his resignation as prime minister. After leaving office he continued to be dogged by accusations of financial impropriety, and ultimately agreed to pay taxes and fines of 5 millions euros on money he had received in secret payments. He was also indicted on charges of obstructing justice, and an tribunal investigation reported posthumously (2006) that Haughey had accepted bribes.