Westmeath Fine Gael TD Paul McGrath announced last night that he would not be contesting the next election following a disagreement with the party hierarchy over candidate strategy.
Mr McGrath (58) spoke to his party leader Enda Kenny on Wednesday to tell him of his decision to leave national politics.
The TD told The Irish Times that he disagreed with a Fine Gael strategy group to run three candidates rather than two in the Longford Westmeath constituency at the next election.
"Fine Gael polled 1,300 more votes than Fianna Fáil in the local elections, and for the first time ever we had a golden opportunity to win two seats. But we needed to run two candidates and keep it tight for that to happen." He added that he had two other reasons for not running; he would be in his 60th year by the time of the next election and he did not see any prospect of achieving ministerial office under Mr Kenny's leadership.
First elected in 1989, Mr McGrath is the deputy Fine Gael spokesman on finance.
Paying tribute to Mr McGrath, Mr Kenny said last night that it was due to his efforts and those of Labour TD Willie Penrose that the Mullingar Accord between Fine Gael and Labour came into being in the summer of 2004.
Meanwhile, intense competition has developed for the Fine Gael nomination in Dublin South East between councillors Lucinda Creighton and Brian Gillen. A party convention on Monday will select one of them.
