himself to bringing order to the public finances and the poor economic situation. His cutting of state spending earned him the nickname Mack the Knife. During this time he came to be identified as Haughey's heir apparent as Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader. MacSharry, however wanted to leave politics by the time he was forty-five. He was fifty and had achieved some of the highest offices in the Irish government. In 1988 MacSharry was appointed European Commissioner, ending his domestic political career. The Minister for Industry and Commerce Albert Reynolds blocked the hostile takeover of Irish Distillers by Grand Metropolitan. The company was eventually sold to Pernod Ricard for $440 million. Health During this period major industrial action was taken by junior doctors. 1,800 doctors went on strike to protest their lack of job security and the governments cuts to the health budget. During this period a large number of haemophiliacs contracted HIV and Hepatitis C from contaminated blood products supplied by the Blood Transfusion Service Board. Justice In 1988 the Irish Prison officers association went on strike. The government had to use 1,000 Gardaí and 300 soldiers to guard the prisons. Northern Ireland During this period the government faced serious difficulties dealing with Northern Ireland and the IRA. After the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement Relations improved between the Republic and Britain. However, there were tensions between the governments over the imprisonment of the Birmingham Six and the apparent shoot-to-kill policy in Northern Ireland policy of the security forces in Northern Ireland. Formal protest was made by the government following the Loughgall ambush where eight IRA members and a civilian were killed by a SAS unit. Relations improved with the extradition of Paul Kane. His appeal to the justice minister for freedom was rejected. Kane escaped from the Maze Prison in 1983 after being convicted of firearm offences. During this period the IRA managed to smuggle a gun into the Four Courts in an attempted prison escape. Constitutional amendment On 26 May 1987 the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland was approved by referendum. This permitted the state to ratify the Single European Act. Dissolution and resignation On 25 May 1989, the president dissolved the Dáil on the advice of Haughey. The general election was held on 15 June, the same date as the European Parliament election. The 26th Dáil first met on 26 June 1989. The Dáil