Offaly councillor will retire from politics next year

OFFALY councillor John Leahy has said he will retire from politics next year.

The Independent representative from Kilcormac and former Renua Ireland leader is not expected to formally resign his seat until the spring but will be indicating his intentions to County Council colleagues tomorrow.

Cllr Leahy told the Tullamore Tribune on Saturday: "I always said I would only stay in politics if I could get to the next level. I have to accept I am not going to win a seat in the Dail at the next general election.”

He added: “I will be concentrating on auctioneering and I will not be defending my council seat at the next local election."

Cllr Leahy, who had been working as a full-time coach with Offaly GAA, was first elected to Offaly County Council as an Independent in 2009 and retained his seat at the election in 2014 and 2019, topping the poll in his area on both occasions.

He first ran for the Dail in the Laois-Offaly constituency in 2011 and received 4,882 first preferences (a 6.6% share of the vote) but was eliminated on the ninth count.

In 2015 he founded Renua along with financial adviser and broadcaster Eddie Hobbs and the former Fine Gael junior minister Lucinda Creighton.

At the general election in 2016 he received 4,596 first preferences (10.4%) in the Offaly constituency but again missed out on a Dail seat.

He then succeeded Ms Creighton as Renua leader following her resignation before his return to the Independent ranks last year.

In the general election earlier this year he received 3,463 first preferences (5% share) in the Laois-Offaly constituency and was eliminated on the 10th count.

Last December he took up a position as a business development manager with estate agents Remax.