The by election was caused by the death of George Colley. After much insistence by Bertie , former TD Tom Leonard, was selected as the Fianna Fail candidate. He duly won the seat. In the Message from Fainna Fail Leader Charles Haugheys he appears to take full credit for the Gregory deal as if he did it off his own bat. The By-Election was Fine Gael candidate and future MEP Mary Bannottis first electoral outing.
Fianna Fail November 1982. This was the second election in the year and also the shortest serving Government. It was the GUBU government that did the ‘Gregory Deal’ and was to an extent dependent on support from Sinn Fein The Workers Party who later withdrew their support. That doesn’t get a mention in Haugheys message. Instead he refers to the death of Bill Loughnane and the illness of the late Jim Gibbons for this ‘unwanted and unneccessary General Election’. Yet it was a motion of confidence proposed by Mr Haughey upon which the government fell.
We have a stern Haughey trying to look Statesmanlike on the front …… a friendly but menacing looking Charlie on the inside….
The Pro-life Amendment is now an issue. The usual stuff about stability (give me an overall majority please) is there too.
The part regarding “a sovereign Independent Nation with own policy on international issues …..settlement of international disputes by peaceful means” is a reference to the Falklands war. Haughey whilst initially not supportive of Britain towed the EEC line, He broke ranks after the sinking of the Belgrano, much to Britain’s displeasure.
Fianna Fail Feb 1982, a lovely picture of Charlie with him claiming that FF Do a better job. His message is interesting also.
Irish Election Literature 
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