MR Jim Mitchell, the Fine Gael TD for Dublin Central, who will be 50 tomorrow, has announced that he will be retiring from the Dail at the next general election. He will receive a Dail and ministerial pension of £28,000 a year.
The former minister, who took more risks than any other TD of his time to win extra seats for his party, told his constituency executive last night that he had always said that he would not spend his entire life in the Dail.
After 19 years, his personal circumstances now favoured moving on to new interests in the private sector and in Europe. He would continue as adviser to Esat, he said, and other clients.
A critic of the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, during the challenge to his leadership of the party in 1994, he coined the famous phrase "he appears to suffer from what I call a charismatic deficit".
Last night, however, he said Mr Bruton had performed outstandingly as Taoiseach, and under his leadership Ireland had a strong, united and progressive Government.
Praising his Coalition colleagues, Mr Mitchell added that because of the Tanaiste's faultless and tireless performance as Foreign Minister and the soundness of the Minister for Finance, Labour was likely to do better in the next election than many polls suggested.
The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, said last night he was sorry that Mr Mitchell was not seeking reelection. He had borne the sacrifices of public life with selfless dedication. He had served his country well as minister, as chairman of Dail committees and as a "deputy. He had shown exemplary loyalty to the party. His decision to seek a new career had been discussed with him well in advance of last night's announcement, he added.
While he was leaving the Dail Mr Mitchell said, he was not leaving Fine Gael. He would not rule outrunning as a candidate in the next European elections.
Mr Mitchell was unsuccessful when, aged 23, he first ran in the Dublin South West by election in 1970. In the general election of 1973, he stood aside to allow Mr Declan Costello, now President of the High Court, to run. In 1975, he became the youngest Lord Mayor of Dublin in its 800 year history. He was elected to the Dail in 1977.
He went on to serve in many ministries, including Justice, Posts and Telegraphs and Communications. In opposition, he was chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts and is currently chairman of the Committee on Finance and General Affairs.
