Son of Charles Haughey will not contest next general election

Sean Haughey, the son of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey, has announced he will not contest the next general election.

The Dublin Bay South TD said he informed the Fianna Fail organisation in his constituency on Tuesday evening.

Tanaiste and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin paid tribute to Mr Haughey as a man “of great integrity” and “a fine parliamentarian”.

Mr Haughey has served as a councillor, Dublin’s Lord Mayor, a senator, a TD and a junior minister for education.

He said in a statement on Tuesday: “Having devoted all my adult life to public service, I have come to the view that now is the right time for me to step down from frontline politics.”

“Following my first election to Dublin City Council in 1985, it was a tremendous honour to go on to serve as a senator, a Dail deputy, a minister of state, and as Lord Mayor of Dublin.

“I am extremely grateful to my constituents for their loyal support down through the years and wish to thank them for the trust they placed in me to be their representative in Dail Eireann.

“Over the course of my time in politics, I found it enormously fulfilling to be able to give advice and assistance to hundreds of individuals, groups and organisations in helping them secure the benefits and services to which they were entitled.

“I am also proud that I could carry on a family tradition of public service in the constituency dating right back to the 1950s.

“I am deeply grateful to my wife Orla, my four adult children, my extended family, as well as the many loyal party members and lifelong friends for their unfailing help and encouragement in all my election campaigns.

“I remain fully committed to Fianna Fail as a democratic party, at the centre of Irish political life, advancing a caring social philosophy, and capable of resolving the many and varied problems that now we now face.”

Paying tribute to the TD, who is the party’s spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Martin said he had “demonstrated a deep commitment to the wellbeing of those he represents”.

“Whether advocating for their needs in Dail Eireann, addressing their concerns, or working tirelessly to enact positive change, Sean has always placed the interests of his constituents at the forefront of his efforts.

“He possesses a deep understanding of the weight of the responsibility entrusted upon him and his dedication to serving his community has been unwavering.

“Sean fully recognises the importance of fostering understanding and co-operation on the international stage and has always maintained a deep interest in global affairs, particularly in the Middle East. His commitment to hard work and upholding strong European values has been central to his approach.

“It has been a great honour to work alongside him, and I would like to extended my sincere thanks and best wishes to Sean on my own behalf, and on behalf of the Fianna Fail organisation, as he embarks on a new chapter.”

Mr Haughey is the son of Charles Haughey and the grandson of Sean Lemass, both former taoisigh.

He is the third politician from the Dublin Bay North constituency to announce they will not contest the next general election – after Fine Gael’s Richard Bruton announced he would step down and Labour’s Aodhan O Riordain announced his candidacy for the European Parliament elections in June.