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Richard Bruton (born 1 March 1953) is an Irish Fine Gael politician and economist.
Richard Bruton was born in Dublin on 1 March 1953. He was educated at Clongowes Wood College, University College Dublin and Oxford. Bruton was first elected to Seanad Éireann in 1982 as a Senator. In 1982 he was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fine Gael TD. From 1986 to 1987 he served as Minister for State at the Department of Industry and Commerce. Following the 1994 general election Bruton helped negotiate the Rainbow Coalition between Fine Gael, Labour and Democratic Left. In that government his brother, John Bruton, became Taoiseach. Richard Bruton took the highest ranking Fine Gael ministerial position, serving as Minister for Enterprise and Employment. Following the disastrous results of Fine Gael in the 2002 general election Bruton was one of the few front bench TD's to retain his seat. He subsequently became deputy leader of Fine Gael.
