Labour’s other notable achievements in welfare included payments to deserted wives and prisoners’ wives; paying children’s allowance to mothers rather than fathers; and the phased reduction of the pension age from 70 to 66 years – a first since pensions were introduced back in 1909. Cluskey and his party colleagues succeeded in tripling yearly welfare spending from IR£92m to IR£275m over four years, a rise from 6.5pc of economic output, or GNP, in 1973 to 10.5pc in 1977. It meant ferocious rows between Cluskey and the hardline finance minister, Richie Ryan, dubbed “Richie Ruin”. But by the time the 1977 general election came around the voters did not show gratitude as they voted Fianna Fáil back into office by a landslide.