Former British PM Heath dies at 89
Sunday, 17 July 2005 23:10
The former British Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath has died. He was 89.
A leader of the Conservative Party, Mr Heath died this evening at his home in Salisbury in Southern England, surrounded by family and friends.
While his greatest achievement was to lead Britain into the EEC - the fore-runner of the European Union, Ted Heath will be remembered in this country for the failed Sunningdale Agreement.
He once said that the Northern troubles were none of Dublin's business.
However, he came to believe that the way forward lay in power-sharing, which was introduced under the Sunningdale Agreement.
The agreement collapsed in the face of Unionist opposition, and a massive strike.
Two years ago Mr Heath denied allegations that he had prior knowledge of the events on Bloody Sunday in 1972, when British paratroopers shot dead 13 unarmed civilians.
