Born June 2nd, 1932
Died October 26th, 2024
Tom Toner, a businessman and public servant, has died following a short illness at the age of 92.
In a storied career that embraced the public and private sectors, Toner had many achievements under his belt by the time he transitioned to semi-retirement in 2000. However, possibly his most lasting legacy is his chairmanship of Forfás, the State agency responsible for advising the government on economic policy, from 1993 to 1999. One of the first challenges he faced after taking on the job was to deal with the European Commission’s decision to end the state aid waiver that had enabled the government to extend the special 10 per cent corporate tax rate for manufacturing to create a special economic zone that became the International Financial Services Centre in Dublin’s docklands.
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Forfás recommended that a 12.5 per cent tax rate be applied to all industries. It was the single most important policy decision that transformed Ireland from a backwater to one of the most successful economies in the developed world. Other notable achievements during his period at Forfás were the creation of a number of agencies to develop industrial policy, research and innovation, particularly in the areas of science and technology. This culminated in the establishment of Science Foundation Ireland in 1999. He developed a close working relationship with John Travers, the chief executive of Forfás, and they remained friends until his death.
Toner was born in the Curragh army barracks in 1932. His father had fought the War of Independence in his native Armagh and later joined the Irish Army upon the foundation of the Free State. A sign of his later character was evident in his early years at the Curragh. He chafed at the social hierarchy of the camp as the families of army officers were extended privileges, including their own entrance to the church, that were not available to lower-ranking personnel. He said that although his time at the Curragh was happy, he never felt he belonged there.
Toner attended De La Salle school in Kildare, where he was described as a gifted student. Sport was an early passion. He captained the Kildare minor football team in 1950. He was also a voracious reader.
He won a Kildare county council scholarship to study science at UCD in 1950, although he quickly transferred to commerce. He completed an MA in economics in 1955. His first role was with CIÉ in 1954, where he would come under the guidance of Todd Andrews, one of the founders of Fianna Fáil. Toner used the management principles he had learned in his economics MA to help modernise CIÉ. In later life, Toner said his proudest career achievement was a collaboration with Donogh O’Malley’s Department of Education in 1966 to roll out free transport to second-level students in rural areas.
The 1973 oil crisis roiled the Irish economy. Toner had to make many painful redundancies to keep Brooks Watson afloat. He later said it took a huge toll on him
In 1968, he left CIÉ to join Allied Irish Investment Bank, where he met his close friend Richard Hooper. In 1972 he took over Brooks Watson, a food and drinks company, with two AIIB colleagues, Martin Rafferty and John Harnett.
In 1970 he stopped drinking and joined Alcoholics Anonymous. Even though he faced many personal and professional hardships in the years ahead, he never touched alcohol again.
The 1973 oil crisis roiled the Irish economy. Toner had to make many painful redundancies to keep Brooks Watson afloat. He later said it took a huge toll on him.
However, much worse was to come. In 1956 he met Audre Isdell, a student at UCD. They would soon start a relationship and married in 1963. Over the next 10 years they had four children, Kevin, Oonagh, David and Alan.
In 1976, Audre was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a successful operation she went into remission, but it reappeared in 1980. She defied expectations at the time and lived for another six years. Her death in December 1986, at the age of 50, deeply affected Toner. One of the ways he dealt with his grief was by increasing his work commitments. In 1984 he had become the president of the Federated Union of Employers, which later became Ibec. In 1986, Brooks Watson was sold to Irish Distillers, and Toner joined the board. Several other directorships followed over the years, including Arnotts, Bank of Ireland, Tullow Oil, Irish Continental Group and Inishtech.
Delivering the eulogy at the funeral Mass, Alan said his father enjoyed arguing both as an analytical method and a recreational activity.
Toner was a savage critic of the Irish State from its independence to the 1980s. He believed that economic growth was a precondition for a fair society. According to Alan, he often quipped, “too many people talk about dying for Ireland rather than living for it”. One of the main reasons he took on the Forfás role was to help solve the crushing unemployment problem.
Sport remained a passion throughout his life. He followed Ireland to both rugby and soccer World Cups. He travelled widely and developed a love of Cuba. He would learn Spanish in his advanced years. In 2018 he moved from the family home in Leopardstown Road to Sandymount, where he enjoyed he last years.
Warm tributes were paid following his death by Ibec, many former colleagues and friends. He is survived by his four children, seven grandchildren and wider Toner family.