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Joe Carey. RollingNews.ie

Fine Gael TD Joe Carey announces retirement from politics following medical advice

The Clare TD, who has been on sick leave since March last year, said he suffered a “life-altering medical situation” in the past year.

FINE GAEL TD Joe Carey has resigned as a public representative and confirmed that he will not contest the next General Election.

The Clare politician, who has been on sick leave since March last year, said his decision was based on medical advice. 

In a statement, Carey said he had to put himself, his wife and his family first and retire from a job that he loved.

“In the past year, I suffered a life-altering medical situation that I will be dealing with for the rest of my time on earth,” he said.

While I would dearly wish to continue, my decision to step away is based on medical advice.

“I have had the absolute privilege to serve for the past 25 years as a public representative, eight as a County Councillor and 17 as a TD. I want to express my sincere thanks to my constituents who elected me to represent them on Clare County Council and in Dáil Éireann on six separate occasions.”

Carey was first elected to Clare County Council in 1999 at the age of 23. A native of Clarecastle, he went on to be elected to Dáil Éireann in 2007 and retained his seat in the 2011, 2016 and 2020 elections.

In his letter to party members, Carey said he wanted to express his gratitude to them for campaigning with him throughout his political career.

“It is hard to believe but 25 years have passed since I was first elected to Clare County Council. It has been the greatest honour and privilege to be elected as a Fine Gael TD for County Clare at four successive General Elections,” Carey said. 

He thanked the “extraordinary people” who have worked in his office over the years, his election team, Clare Fine Gael members and the general public “for their patience and understanding throughout his illness”. 

Carey paid tribute to his sister Leonora and brother Donal, the extended Carey family and his friends.

“The Fine Gael parliamentary party have been really supportive as have Oireachtas members from all political parties and none. I have been blown away by the messages, cards, texts, mass bouquets and get-well wishes.”

He also wished Taoiseach Simon Harris “all the best” in the upcoming General Election. 

“His impact has already been spectacular, and I strongly expect the ‘Harris Hop’ to be firmly enjoyed in County Clare and throughout the Country when the next General Election comes around,” he added. 

Throughout his career, Carey served as Deputy Spokesperson on Justice with special responsibility for Juvenile Justice and Assistant Government Chief Whip.

He chaired the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Administration, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications, respectively. 

He was also appointed to the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly and chaired the Committee on Sovereign Matters. 

‘Outstanding champion’

Paying tribute to Carey, the Taoiseach said he is an “outstanding champion for the people of Clare”.

“Joe is putting his health first and he has all of our support in Fine Gael on that journey,” Harris said.

“He leaves the Clare constituency ready for the future and is moving to his next chapter with all of our support.”

Education Minister Patrick O’Donovan also wished his “good friend and neighbour” Carey the best. 

“I’ve known Joe for years and in that time he has been a great servant to The Banner. I wish him good health for the years ahead,” O’Donovan said.

Clare Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway said it has been a privilege to work with Carey for the last twenty years, particularly the last thirteen years as part of the Oireachtas.

“We have worked together as members of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party to ensure Government delivered for County Clare and its people,” he said. 

“Joe has been a great advocate for the people of County Clare. In recent times, Joe has undergone significant medical challenges and I have no doubt it has been a very difficult time for him.

“I would like to wish Joe, Grace and their family the very best for the future.”

Sister to seek party nomination

His sister Leonora, who has served as Chair of Fine Gael’s National Executive Council, is hoping to retain the seat held by Carey since 2007.

Leonora Carey is currently employed as Occupational Therapist Manager with the University of Limerick Hospitals Group having previously worked with Milford Care Centre.

“Although I have held positions at officer level in Clare and Dublin Central for almost 30 years, I am fully aware that there is no greater honour than working on behalf of your neighbours, friends and community as a public representative,” she said.

“The issues facing people in Clare and the Mid-West require a new approach to how politicians can make a real difference to the lives of ordinary people. Over the coming weeks, I will be engaging with party members to give me the opportunity to make that difference.

“If I’m fortunate enough to be selected as a Fine Gael candidate and win election to the Dáil, I will work full time to deliver a better future for the people of Clare,” Carey added.

The Fine Gael selection convention will be held in The West County Hotel, Ennis on Friday, 6 September.

With reporting from Gordon Deegan.

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17 Comments
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    Mute Lisa Jones
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    Jul 25th 2022, 9:21 AM

    Just imagine if somehow the Dart could miraculously make it’s way Dublin Airport

    401
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    Mute Zack Twamley
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    Jul 25th 2022, 10:56 AM

    @Lisa Jones: this. I don’t understand why it hasn’t happened, when we’re virtually the only European capital without one.

    108
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    Mute Ajax Penumbra
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    Jul 25th 2022, 12:08 PM

    @Zack Twamley: No we’re not. Not even virtually.

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    Mute Tony Stanley
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    Jul 25th 2022, 12:16 PM

    @Ajax Penumbra: well we are one of the few cities with an airport of (in normal times) such high demand without a rail connection.

    37
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    Mute Paul Maguire
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    Jul 25th 2022, 9:24 AM

    There are other counties outside of Dublin, that need an upgrade of Rail services… As we are being constantly told by the Green Party to leave our cars at home and take public transport as we seem most of the public transport is non-existent in the rural areas

    187
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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Jul 25th 2022, 10:12 AM

    @Paul Maguire: yep, Dublin Dublin Dublin.

    62
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    Mute Ciaran O'Mara
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    Jul 25th 2022, 10:23 AM

    @Paul Maguire: we need to start at the beginning. Electrifying the railway out to Maynooth and Dunboyne, big population centres, is a first step. It doesn’t preclude other developments.

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    Mute Nicholas McMurry
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    Jul 25th 2022, 11:30 AM

    @Paul Maguire: They have opened the rail link from Cork to Midleton and I think more stations on the Cork network are in the pipeline but Limerick has huge potential for commuter rail, including a possible link to Shannon, Galway network should be extended to Tuam.

    22
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    Mute Tomo
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    Jul 25th 2022, 11:58 AM

    @Ciaran O’Mara: Think Navan and Naas are much much larger population centres than Maynooth and Dunboyne.

    31
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    Mute Tony Stanley
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    Jul 25th 2022, 12:21 PM

    @Paul Maguire: this might shock you.

    For heavy rail infrastructure, Dublin has had nothing but piecemeal development for the last few decades. The last major change was the extension of the dart to Malahide and Greystones which only added a few extra miles. Same with Dunboyne. Other then that we’ve had the existing infrastructure with a few capacity enhancements.

    Outside of Dublin however there has been lots of development including the doubling of track on the cork line, extension of commuter services to Middleton, the western rail corridor and a significant upgrade to the intercity and regional rail stock serving communities throughout the country.

    41
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    Mute Séan Ó Nuanáin
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    Jul 25th 2022, 9:10 AM

    Still nothing for Navan town?

    129
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    Mute Ed Cooper
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    Jul 25th 2022, 11:46 AM

    @Séan Ó Nuanáin: and to be fair it wouldnt take that much to run it as far as Navan. Shoud be prioritised.

    46
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    Mute Daniel Muldoon
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    Jul 25th 2022, 12:58 PM

    @Séan Ó Nuanáin: I actually emailed the Department of Transport about getting the train station up and running and i was told that it was not financially viable.

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    Mute Scorcher Bois Gris
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    Jul 25th 2022, 1:26 PM

    @Daniel Muldoon: fair play to you for being proactive at least!

    18
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    Mute Diar O Doc
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    Jul 25th 2022, 9:22 AM

    What about a DART+ North West to Donegal

    106
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    Mute Daniel Muldoon
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    Jul 25th 2022, 1:01 PM

    @Diar O Doc: Anything north west of Dublin would be nice but i do agree they should be running a line all the way to Donegal. I live in Cavan and our only options are car or bus (If you can find one where you are going).

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    Mute Luan Willis
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    Jul 25th 2022, 2:47 PM

    @Diar O Doc: Unfortunately the population density outside of the greater Dublin area does not support a high capacity rail traffic network.

    15
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    Mute James Heffernan
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    Jul 25th 2022, 10:08 AM

    Covering all the same stations that are already catered for (Maynooth line)..Struggling to see the huge advantages of this..

    74
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    Mute Ciaran O'Mara
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    Jul 25th 2022, 11:16 AM

    @James Heffernan: twice the number of trains, bigger trains, electric not diesel, no level crossings, much safer and more efficient signaling, inter-run wth existing dart.

    79
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    Mute James Heffernan
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    Jul 25th 2022, 11:37 AM

    @Ciaran O’Mara: Sounds like a lot of nothing to me..When taking into account other services around the country the service what we have at the moment is grand..It’s not like we are going from a grand service to a state of the art service, we are going from a grand service to something a small bit better. Not something to get overly excited over..

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    Mute James Heffernan
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    Jul 25th 2022, 11:38 AM

    @Ciaran O’Mara: Thanks for highlighting the changes though.

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    Mute Daniel Muldoon
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    Jul 25th 2022, 1:02 PM

    @James Heffernan: Its just to give them good press to make it look like they are actually doing something.

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    Mute dreiglaser
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    Jul 25th 2022, 11:45 AM

    40km of electricity poles and one new station. They would call that a day’s work in China or Japan.

    60
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    Mute Jon Kelly
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    Jul 25th 2022, 10:14 AM

    “End to commuting and congestion”? Have you ever been on a Dart or train in the morning? Stacked tins of sardines have more personal space

    53
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    Mute Mark McCormack
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    Jul 25th 2022, 11:48 AM

    Its about time they upgraded those lines. The only problem is they are talking about a depot west of Maynooth which means the depot itself will be in Kilcock. So the town of Kilcock will have to deal with all the negetives of a depot and receive none of the positives. I dont see why they cannot provide the service from Kilcock. The population of that town has doubled in the last 10 years and still there is nothing being built in the town only more housing estates. Theres no longer room in the schools there for kids. Why is Ireland so backwards.

    51
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    Mute dreiglaser
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    Jul 25th 2022, 6:34 PM

    @Mark McCormack: then the depot would have to be other side of Kilcock and someone from Enfield would be saying what you’re saying now.

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    Mute Hugh Mc Donnell
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    Jul 25th 2022, 10:57 AM

    So is navan getting left out again

    35
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    Mute Christine Downey
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    Jul 26th 2022, 2:55 PM

    @Hugh Mc Donnell: and Wicklow/Arklow.

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    Mute Paul Maguire
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    Jul 25th 2022, 9:24 AM

    There are other counties outside of Dublin, that need an upgrade of Rail services… As we are being constantly told by the Green Party to leave ourselves at home and take public transport as we seem most off the public transport is non-existent in the rural areas

    31
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    Mute Terri MacDonald
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    Jul 25th 2022, 11:30 AM

    Coolmine and Clonsilla stations are useless to a large section of D15 unless you have a car. Only bus that even goes near them is the 39 and that’s not a frequent service (and is not timed to work with the train timetable) I’m all for this, but would like to be able to actually get to a train station!

    29
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    Mute joe oneill
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    Jul 25th 2022, 9:51 AM

    I’ll certainly be attending the next FFG golf day,best to get in early…..

    23
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    Mute Alan Dignam
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    Jul 25th 2022, 9:35 AM

    What about the level crossings at Coolmine and Clonsilla to mention just two, are they going to close them off ???. Ashtown another one.

    21
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    Mute Bri Lyons
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    Jul 25th 2022, 9:51 AM

    @Alan Dignam: Ashton level crossing being replaced with tunnel … Coolmine level crossing being kept

    12
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    Mute Reuben Gray
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    Jul 25th 2022, 9:52 AM

    @Alan Dignam: Ashtown for sure is being re-done with new road layout and bridge so there won’t be a level crossing.

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    Mute Max Bailey
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    Jul 25th 2022, 1:44 PM

    @Alan Dignam: it says six level crossings to close so that would be all of them to maynooth. (Ashtown, coolmine, porterstown, clonsilla, barberstown and blakestown.)

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    Mute Susan O'flaherty
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    Jul 25th 2022, 11:49 AM

    what about metro.

    12
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    Mute dreiglaser
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    Jul 25th 2022, 6:36 PM

    @Susan O’flaherty: what about it? This is for the DART?

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    Mute Martin Forde
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    Jul 25th 2022, 3:52 PM

    Said the same thing 20 years ago about Drogheda an Dundalk, population of over 100,000 people still waiting.

    10
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    Mute John Kelly
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    Jul 25th 2022, 3:22 PM

    Luas to Tallaght spends miles running along the Grand Canal and the up the middle of the Naas Road and then skirts around Kingswood. So I wouldn’t necessarily assume the majority of people would live beside a new track anyway

    8
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    Mute Karl Phillips
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    Jul 25th 2022, 8:36 PM

    Might try sorting out what we have at present, packed rolling stock and cannot open the windows. Third World.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Jul 25th 2022, 8:34 PM

    There used to be a line from Tullow to Dublin that had a station at the end of the road. Incredible to think that you could live in the countryside and not need a car.

    5
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