Offaly councillor lining up replacement after his retirement from politics

CLLR John Leahy said he will consult with political parties in Offaly if he cannot line up a replacement himself when he vacates his council seat.

The Kilcormac man revealed at the weekend that he intends to retire from politics and he publicly announced his intention at a meeting of Offaly County Council on Monday.

Cllr Leahy said he will be “stepping back from local politics” in the coming weeks, or, if it does not happen that soon, he will do so in February or March of next year.

“I have approached somebody to take my seat in the local area. If they accept it well and good and if they don't I'll probably sit down and have a conversation with the main political parties and see if there is somebody from the area who is interested in taking that seat.”

The Independent councillor and former Renua Ireland leader added that he had always said he would not stay in politics unless he “got to the next level”.

A two-time Dail candidate, he said he did not think he would achieve that ambition to replace existing TD's “because of the good work they're doing”.

“So I'm playing catch-up the whole time. I'm just going to be concentrating on my full-time role in the property market and that's what I hope to do.”

Cllr John Carroll, Cathaoirleach, said he had spoken to Cllr Leahy on Saturday and his decision had come as a “shock and surprise”.

“But I suppose everybody has to make their own decisions,” he added.

Cllr Leahy had 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 formerly worked 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 elections 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.

Councillors whose seats are vacated between elections are replaced by a co-option process whereby a nomination is brought before the local authority for approval.