ONE of Fianna Fail's two TDs in Kerry South has announced his intention not to seek re election at the next general election.
Mr John O'Leary's announcement yesterday took colleagues by surprise and comes within a week of a similar declaration by one of the three Fianna Fail TDs in Cavan Monaghan, Mr Jimmy Leonard. Six deputies of the party have already made the decision not to stand for re election.
First elected to the Dail in a by election in 1966, Mr O'Leary is one of the longest serving TDs. A native of Kilcummin, Killarney, he is aged 63 and was formerly a local government official with Kerry County Council.
Mr O'Leary was minister of state in the Department of the Environment during the 1970s and also acted as spokesman in this brief while in opposition.
Paying tribute yesterday, the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, said the TD's service as a public representative was "immeasurable".
In addition to his Dail work, he had also been a member of Kerry County Council, Kerry VEC, the Kerry Enterprise Board, the governing body of UCC, a member of the Council of Europe, and at present he was chairman of the Killarney Jobs Creation Forum.
"John's dedication and loyalty to the party over the years has endeared him to his many colleagues and constituents alike. His sharp wit and renowned sense of humour will be sadly missed by his many friends across the political spectrum in the Dail," Mr Ahern added.
The other seats in Kerry South are held by Mr O'Leary's party colleague, Mr John O'Donoghue, and by Lab our's Ms Breeda Moynihan Cronin.