Declan Costello | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President of the High Court | |
| In office 1 August 1995 – 12 October 1998 | |
| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Mary Robinson |
| Preceded by | Harry Whelehan |
| Succeeded by | Frederick Morris |
| Judge of the High Court | |
| In office 1 June 1977 – 3 September 1998 | |
| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Patrick Hillery |
| 16th Attorney General of Ireland | |
| In office 15 March 1973 – 19 May 1977 | |
| Taoiseach | Liam Cosgrave |
| Preceded by | Colm Condon |
| Succeeded by | John M. Kelly |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office February 1973 – May 1977 | |
| Constituency | Dublin South-West |
| In office May 1951 – June 1969 | |
| Constituency | Dublin North-West |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David Declan Costello 1 August 1926 Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 6 June 2011 (aged 84) Beaumont Medical Clinic, Dublin, Ireland |
| Resting place | Shanganagh Cemetery, Shankill, Dublin, Ireland |
| Political party | Fine Gael |
| Spouse |
Joan Fitzsimons (m. 1954) |
| Children | 6, including Caroline |
| Parents |
|
| Education |
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| Alma mater | |
Declan Costello (1 August 1926 – 6 June 2011) was an Irish judge, barrister and Fine Gael politician who served as President of the High Court from 1995 to 1998, a Judge of the High Court from 1977 to 1998 and Attorney General of Ireland from 1973 to 1977. He also served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin North-West constituency from 1951 to 1969 and for the Dublin South-West constituency from 1973 to 1977.[1]
The formulator of the Towards a Just Society policy document, Costello was credited with shifting Fine Gael towards the left,[2] a move which made the party a more attractive coalition partner for the Labour Party.[2] Costello's ideals were later viewed as having been taken up by Garret FitzGerald, who became leader of Fine Gael and was twice Taoiseach.[3] As Attorney General, Costello created the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Law Reform Commission, and for this Costello has been called the "most consequential attorney general in the state's history".[4]
- ^ "Declan Costello". Oireachtas Members Database. 16 March 1977. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Titanswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Kelly, Fiach (7 June 2011). "Fine Gael reformer Declan Costello dies at 84". Irish Independent. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
Garret FitzGerald made the 'Just Society' document mainstream party policy when he assumed the Fine Gael leadership from 1977
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
DIBwas invoked but never defined (see the help page).