Mervyn Taylor

Mervyn Taylor (28 December 1931 – 23 September 2021[1]) was an Irish Labour Party politician who served as Minister for Equality and Law Reform from 1993 to 1994 and from 1994 to 1997. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-West constituency from 1981 to 1997.[2] He was the first ever Jewish cabinet minister in Ireland.[3][4]

For the New Zealand engraver, commercial artist and publisher, see E. Mervyn Taylor.

Mervyn Taylor
Minister for Equality and Law Reform
In office
15 December 1994 – 26 June 1997
TaoiseachJohn Bruton
Preceded byMáire Geoghegan-Quinn
Succeeded byJohn O'Donoghue
(Justice, Equality and Law Reform)
In office
12 January 1993 – 17 November 1994
TaoiseachAlbert Reynolds
Preceded byNew office
Succeeded byMáire Geoghegan-Quinn
Teachta Dála
In office
June 1981 – June 1997
ConstituencyDublin South-West
Personal details
Born(1931-12-28)28 December 1931
Dublin, Ireland
Died23 September 2021(2021-09-23) (aged 89)
Dublin, Ireland
Political partyLabour Party
Spouse
Marilyn Fisher
​
(m. 1962)​
Children3
EducationWesley College, Dublin
Alma materTrinity College Dublin

Early life

Taylor was born to a Jewish family in Dublin. He was educated at Zion School in Rathgar, Wesley College, Dublin and Trinity College Dublin. He later qualified as a solicitor.

He worked for Herman Good Solicitors, alongside Herman Good and future district judge Hubert Wine. Good's involvement in the Labour Party was instrumental in Taylor getting involved in politics.[5] Taylor later established his own firm of Taylor and Buchalter Solicitors with Don Buchalter, and practised as a solicitor for over 50 years before retiring from active practice in his 70s. He continued as a consultant to the firm of Taylor and Buchalter Solicitors for most of his 70s.

Politics

Taylor was elected to Dublin County Council in the 1970s, and became Chairman of the Council.[6] He was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Labour Party Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin South-West at the 1981 general election, on his third attempt.[7] He then held the seat at every election until his retirement from politics in 1997.

He was Chairman of the Labour Party from 1987 to 1991,[8] and Labour chief whip, from 1981 to 1988. He was assistant government chief whip from 1981 to 1982, and again from 1982 to 1987.

Taylor was a strong supporter of Israel, an unpopular cause in the Labour Party.[9]

Minister for Equality and Law Reform

Taylor served two periods as Minister for Equality and Law Reform, in the 1993-94 Government under Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, and the 1994-97 Government under Taoiseach John Bruton.

1993–1994 Government

In January 1993, he was appointed to the newly created position of Minister for Equality and Law Reform in the Fianna Fáil–Labour coalition government led by Albert Reynolds as Taoiseach.[10]

Legislation introduced by Taylor and enacted during his initial term of office included the Interpretation (Amendment) Act 1993 – providing for gender inclusive language in Acts of the Oireachtas, the Jurisdiction of Courts and Enforcement of Judgments Act 1993,[11] the Stillbirths Registration Act 1994,[12] Maintenance Act 1994[13] and the Maternity Protection Act 1994 extending maternity rights.[14]

1994–1997 Government

Labour resigned from government in November 1994, and from December 1994 it was part of a new coalition government of Fine Gael, Labour and Democratic Left formed without a new election, dubbed the Rainbow government, led by John Bruton as Taoiseach. Taylor was again appointed as Minister for Equality and Law Reform.[15]

In 1995 Taylor was in charge of the government proposal to legislate to remove the prohibition of divorce from the constitution; he steered the relevant bills through Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann. The subsequent referendum was approved by a margin of 0.5 per cent. In the course of the campaign he survived criticism of the measure directed at his Jewish faith, as well as a Supreme Court ruling that public monies could not properly be spent in promoting the government's opinion on a referendum proposal.

Measures introduced by Taylor and enacted by the subsequent Dáil

Taylor also introduced two wide-ranging anti-discrimination measures: the Employment Equality Bill and the Equal Status Bill. These were struck down by the Supreme Court but revised versions were approved by the Government in the final months of Taylor's term of office, and were ultimately published and enacted during the following Dáil term.

Family and personal life

Taylor was married to Marilyn Taylor (née Fisher), who is the author of numerous books for young people.[16] They had two sons, a daughter, and eight grandchildren. Their younger son, Gideon, is chief executive officer of New York's Jewish Community Relations Council and of the Jewish Restitution Successor Organization[17] and is adjunct professor of law at Fordham University in New York City.[18]

Death and legacy

Taylor died on 23 September 2021, aged 89. Tributes to Taylor were led by President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, describing him as "one of the most gracious, unselfish and kindest members ever to serve in the Dáil".[3] Stephen Collins, former political editor for The Irish Times, described him as "a rarity in politics, a quiet man who avoided any hint of flamboyance yet made a substantial impact on the State he served during an important time of social change".[9]

A collection of Mervyn Taylor's papers from his time as the Minister for Equality and Law Reform is held at the National Library of Ireland.[19]

References
  1. McGreevy, Ronan; O'Halloran, Marie (23 September 2021). "Pioneering former Labour minister Mervyn Taylor dies aged 89". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  2. "Mervyn Taylor". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  3. "Former Labour minister Mervin Taylor dies aged 89". RTE News. 23 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  4. de Bréadún, Deaglán (26 September 2021). "Obituary of Mervyn Taylor: Politician who helped end the constitutional ban on divorce and was first Jewish member of an Irish government". Irish Independent. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  5. Keogh, Dermot (1998). Jews in Twentieth-Century Ireland: Refugees, Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust. Cork University Press. ISBN 1-85918-149-X. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014.
  6. Report of County Council Proceedings Archived 31 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine Templeogue Telegraph, Page 10. October 1977.
  7. "Mervyn Taylor". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 26 September 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  8. "Irish Labour Party Archive". National Library of Ireland. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  9. Collins, Stephen (24 September 2021). "Mervyn Taylor: Quiet man who made a big noise in party politics". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  10. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of the Government – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 12 January 1993. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  11. Oireachtas, Houses of the (29 April 1993). "Jurisdiction of Courts and Enforcement of Judgments Bill, 1993: Second Stage. – Seanad Éireann (20th Seanad) – Thursday, 29 Apr 1993 – Houses of the Oireachtas". www.oireachtas.ie. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  12. Oireachtas, Houses of the (17 February 1994). "Supplementary Estimates, 1994. - Stillbirths Registration Bill, 1994 [Seanad]: Second Stage. – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Thursday, 17 Feb 1994 – Houses of the Oireachtas". www.oireachtas.ie. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  13. Oireachtas, Houses of the (25 October 1994). "Maintenance Bill, 1994: Report and Final Stages. – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 25 Oct 1994 – Houses of the Oireachtas". www.oireachtas.ie. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  14. Oireachtas, Houses of the (20 December 1994). "Maternity Protection Bill, 1994: Second Stage. – Seanad Éireann (20th Seanad) – Tuesday, 20 Dec 1994 – Houses of the Oireachtas". www.oireachtas.ie. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  15. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of the Government – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 15 December 1994. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  16. "The true tales of Marilyn Taylor". The Irish Times. 7 December 1999. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  17. Liphshiz, Cnaan (24 September 2021). "Mervyn Taylor, Ireland's first Jewish cabinet minister, dies at 89". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  18. "School of Law: Gideon Taylor". Fordham University. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  19. Kirwan, Luke (2009). "Collection List No. 154 : Mervyn Taylor Papers" (PDF). National Library of Ireland. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
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