Tension in Tipp as pre-election political landscape changes

As tension builds over the impending announcement of the date for the 2024 General Election, the post election landscape in Tipperary will be inevitably different after popular Fianna Fáil Deputy, Jackie Cahill, announced on Monday he will not be seeking re-election this year.

The announcement came as a shock to many at a Fianna Fáil event on Monday night, where Thurles native Deputy Cahill announced he is closing the book on a decade long career in politics serving the people of Tipperary in Dáil Éireann since 2016, and the people of Thurles from 2014 as a member of Tipperary County Council.

The surprise retirement opens the door for a successor, with Councillor Michael Smith, the Roscrea Fianna Fáil poll topper in the local elections and son of the former Minister for Defence, Michael Smith Snr., anticipated to win the party's nomination.

"It has been the honour of my lifetime to serve the people of Tipperary", Deputy Cahill, who is also a former President of the ICMSA, said in a statement issued on Monday night.

"I am a lifelong supporter of Fianna Fáil, and I am immensely proud of our Party’s historic role in shaping our country. It has been a privilege to be a Fianna Fáil TD and to work every day on behalf of the people that I have been elected to represent.

"After much consideration, I have decided on personal grounds following health advice not to put my name forward in the upcoming General Election.

This is obviously a very difficult decision, and one that I have made following discussions with those closest to me. Putting my name forward for election is not just a commitment for the upcoming six-week campaign; it is also a five-year commitment to meet the growing demands, both personally and professionally, that being a TD now entails. Being an effective TD requires a great deal of time and energy, and unfortunately, I do not believe that I can continue to make this commitment to the electorate for another five years.

"I am deeply grateful to my family and friends for their continued support throughout my career.

I would like to sincerely thank every member of Fianna Fáil who nominated me to run for the Party to represent us in Dáil Éireann for a third consecutive time. I am deeply grateful to all the Fianna Fáil members, supporters, and voters who have backed me over the years.

"To the people of Tipperary who elected me in both 2016 and 2020, I thank you for placing your trust in me to be our collective voice in Dáil Éireann.

"It is my understanding that Fianna Fáil Headquarters will now recommence with the candidate selection process, and they will be in contact with members of the North Tipperary / North West Kilkenny Fianna Fáil Comhairle Dáil Ceantair in the very near future in relation to this.

"I have always been, and will forever remain a proud supporter and member of Fianna Fáil. I will continue to work hard as your TD until the end of this Dáil term, and I will do all that I can to ensure that we return a Fianna Fáil TD to Dáil Éireann to represent North Tipperary / North West Kilkenny for the next five years and support them in their role", Deputy Cahill said.