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T. K. Whitaker

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Thomas K. Whitaker
BornTemplate:Birth date
Rostrevor, County Down, Ireland
Died9 January 2017(2017-01-09) (aged 100)
Occupation(s)Economist, diplomat, civil servant, politician
Years active1956–1982
Known forSecretary of the Department of Finance (1956–1969); Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland (1969–1976); Senator (1977–1982)

Thomas Kenneth Whitaker (8 December 1916 – 9 January 2017) was a prominent Irish economist, diplomat, civil servant, and politician. He held the position of Secretary at Ireland's Department of Finance from 1956 until 1969, served as Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland between 1969 and 1976, and was a Senator appointed by the Taoiseach from 1977 to 1982. Widely acknowledged as one of Ireland’s most impactful civil servants, his economic strategies played a crucial role in shaping the country’s contemporary development.

Early life and education

Born in Rostrevor, County Down on 8 December 1916, Whitaker grew up in Drogheda, County Louth. His mother, Jane O'Connor, hailed from County Clare, while his father Edward Whitaker, originally from County Westmeath, worked as an assistant manager at a linen mill. Whitaker attended the local CBS school in Drogheda and pursued studies in mathematics, Celtic languages, and Latin through the University of London’s external program. He obtained external qualifications in economics, earning a BA in 1941 followed by an MSc in 1952.

Career

At the age of thirty-nine, during a period marked by economic stagnation in Ireland, Whitaker was appointed Secretary of the Department of Finance in 1956. Faced with challenges such as sluggish growth, elevated inflation rates, high unemployment levels, poor living conditions, and significant emigration, he championed policies promoting free trade and enhanced competition. He also advocated transitioning the economy from its traditional agricultural base toward industrial and service sectors to generate employment opportunities. Under his leadership, a dedicated team formulated a detailed economic strategy known as the First Programme for Economic Expansion in 1958—commonly referred to as the "Grey Book." This initiative is credited with attracting foreign direct investment and revitalizing economic progress. Nevertheless, Whitaker opposed certain reforms like the export profits tax relief introduced in 1956.

Before dedicating himself to poetry, Thomas Kinsella acted as Whitaker’s private secretary. Additionally, Whitaker resisted approaches favoring low taxation.

In 1977, Taoiseach Jack Lynch nominated him to serve as an independent member of the 14th Seanad, where he remained until 1981. Subsequently, Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald appointed him to the 15th Seanad, with his tenure lasting until 1982. FitzGerald also entrusted him with chairing a Committee of Inquiry into Ireland’s penal system and leading a Parole Board for several years.

Whitaker held the position of Chancellor at the National University of Ireland from 1976 through 1996 and presided over the Royal Irish Academy. Between 1985 and 1987, he contributed as a member of the Board of Governors and Guardians for the National Gallery of Ireland. A dedicated advocate for the Irish language, he was honored through inclusion in An Duanaire: Poems of the Dispossessed 1600–1900, edited by Seán Ó Tuama and Thomas Kinsella. From 1995 to 1996, he chaired the government-established Constitution Review Group which released its findings in July 1996.

Awards and recognition

Whitaker earned numerous prestigious accolades both nationally and internationally. He was named "Irishman of the 20th Century" in 2001 and received the title "Greatest Living Irish Person" in 2002. The Institute of Banking bestowed upon him an Honorary Fellowship in 2014 and inaugurated the annual T. K. Whitaker Scholarship in his honor. In recognition of his exceptional contributions to Ireland’s economic policy, University College Dublin's Economics Society awarded him a lifetime achievement honor in 2015.

In acknowledgment of his profound influence on Irish public administration, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council presented Whitaker with a special award in 2016, which was accepted by his son Ken Whitaker.

Whitaker Square

Located in Dublin's Grand Canal Dock, Whitaker Square bears his name and serves as the location for the offices of the Economic and Social Research Institute.

Personal life

In 1941, Whitaker wed Nora Fogarty, with whom he had six children. Following her passing in 1994, he entered into a second marriage with Mary Moore in 2005. The couple received an invitation to Áras an Uachtaráin to celebrate his 90th birthday in 2006. Mary Moore passed away two years later, in 2008. Whitaker reached the milestone of 100 years in December 2016 and died shortly thereafter on 9 January 2017.

The family communicated in Irish within their household and frequently spent time in the North Mayo Gaeltacht after acquiring and refurbishing a former schoolhouse near Bangor Erris in 1972. Additionally, Whitaker was passionate about salmon fishing in the nearby lakes.

References

External links

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