Editing Patrick Hillery (section)

==European Commissioner 1973–1976==
[[Image:Patrick Hillery, 1973 (cropped).tif|thumb|200px|left|Hillery in 1973]]
Following Ireland's successful entry into the European Economic Community (ECC), Hillery was rewarded by becoming the first Irish politician to serve on the [[European Commission]]. He was appointed Vice-President of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Social Affairs. While Europe had gained one of Ireland's most capable and respected politicians, [[Jack Lynch]] had lost one of his allies, and someone who may have been in line to take over the leadership following Lynch's retirement. As Social Affairs Commissioner, Hillery's most famous policy initiative was to force EEC member states to give equal pay to women. However, in 1976, the then-Irish government, the [[Fine Gael]]–[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] National Coalition, under Taoiseach [[Liam Cosgrave]], informed him that he was not being re-appointed to the Commission. He considered returning to medicine, perhaps moving with his wife, [[Maeve Hillery|Maeve]] (also a doctor) to [[Africa]]. However, fate took a turn, when the then Minister for Defence, [[Paddy Donegan]], launched a ferocious verbal attack on the then president, [[Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh]], calling him "a thundering disgrace" for referring anti-terrorist legislation to the [[Supreme Court of Ireland]] to test its constitutionality.<ref>[https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/how-thundering-disgrace-led-to-president-resigning-26353001.html How 'thundering disgrace' led to President resigning] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827173110/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/how-thundering-disgrace-led-to-president-resigning-26353001.html |date=27 August 2019 }}, ''[[Irish Independent]]'', December 29, 2006</ref> When Ó Dálaigh resigned, a deeply reluctant Hillery agreed to become the Fianna Fáil candidate for the presidency. Fine Gael and Labour decided it was unwise to nominate a candidate, in light of the row over Ó Dálaigh's resignation and the part the government played in the affair. As a result, Hillery was [[1976 Irish presidential election|elected unopposed]], becoming President of Ireland on 3 December 1976.