Former junior minister Damien English has become the latest Fine Gael TD to announce that he will not stand in the general election.
Mr English joins a sizeable list of TDs elected for Fine Gael in 2020 who will not be contesting the election – a group that includes several senior figures such as former taoiseach Leo Varadkar and former tanaiste Simon Coveney.
Mr English, a TD for West Meath, has been a member of the Dail for more than 20 years.
The 46-year-old quit as a junior minister in the Government last January after apologising for failing to declare ownership of a house in Castlemartin to Meath County Council when making a planning application in 2008.
Mr English left his role as minister in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment following claims made about the planning application on The Ditch website.
He later said he was “extremely disappointed” with himself over the incorrect application and said he had “put his hands up” over the matter.
Mr English, who worked as Fine Gael’s director of elections in the recent local elections in June, said he had “reflected quite a lot” since the last polling day.
“While I love every single day of my job, I also know that the time is right to make way for the new wave of talent to take over from me for Fine Gael in Meath West,” he said.
“Tonight, I have informed the members of Fine Gael in Meath West that I won’t be contesting the next general election.
“I do so in the knowledge that support for Fine Gael is rising. Our party leader Simon Harris TD is flying.
“He is dynamic, buzzing with energy and full of new ideas. Simon is determined to deliver the very best for our people and our country.
“I love politics and politics will never leave me. My focus now is to make sure we hold our Dail seat in Meath West and that Simon Harris is returned as Taoiseach after the next General Election.”
Mr English said he was backing local councillor Linda Nelson Murray as the party’s new candidate for the Meath West constituency.
“Having worked closely with her for the past five years I know she is the best person to win the seat and be a strong, fresh voice for the people of Meath in the Dail,” he added.
“I had the privilege and honour to represent the great county of Meath for over 25 years; serving on Meath County Council for five years, as a TD for 22 years and as a Minister of State for over nine years across five government departments.”
Thanking his family, party colleagues and voters for their support, he added: “As someone who started off in politics at 21 years of age, I made many new friends and experienced many great mentors along the way.
“I hope to pay this forward in a supporting role for the next wave in Fine Gael.”