Editing Liam Cosgrave (section)

===Fine Gael leader===
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In 1965, when [[James Dillon (Fine Gael politician)|James Dillon]] resigned as leader of Fine Gael after the [[1965 Irish general election|1965 general election]] loss, Liam Cosgrave easily won the leadership. He led his party to defeat in the [[1969 Irish general election|1969 election]] and was under constant threat and challenge by younger more social democratic elements represented by [[Garret FitzGerald]] who was elected to the Dáil in 1969. Cosgrave's erstwhile opponent, Declan Costello, had retired in 1969. Cosgrave's fortunes changed in 1970. He played a key role in the [[Arms Crisis]], when, as Leader of the Opposition, he pressured then [[Fianna Fáil]] leader and Taoiseach, [[Jack Lynch]], to take action against senior ministers who were involved in importing arms intended for the [[Provisional IRA]]. The information had been leaked to him by the [[Special Detective Unit|Garda Special Branch]], who had already informed the Taoiseach.

Cosgrave's determination to support government anti-terrorist legislation in votes in the Dáil, in the face of opposition from his party, almost cost him his leadership. The growing liberal wing of Fine Gael was opposing the Government's stringent laws on civil liberty grounds. Cosgrave put the security of the State and its institutions first. At the Fine Gael Ard Fheis in May 1972, Cosgrave faced down his political opponents. In a speech littered with references to Fine Gael's founding fathers, he contrasted the difficulties posed by the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army|IRA]] in [[Northern Ireland]] with those faced by the first Free State government in dealing with the anti-treatyites. Departing from his script, Cosgrave rounded on his leadership rivals. Asking delegates if they did any hunting Cosgrave declared that "… some of these commentators and critics are now like mongrel foxes; they are gone to ground but I'll dig them out, and the pack will chop them when they get them". Though he was criticised for taking a "partionist" or unionist stance in his speech, Cosgrave led Fine Gael to office a year later. Cosgrave supported the government's Offences Against the State (Amendment) Bill in November 1972, despite the position taken by Fine Gael to oppose the Bill.