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FINE GAEL DEPUTY leader and Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys has announced that she will not be contesting the upcoming general election and will be stepping down as deputy leader of the party.
The shock announcement comes only six months after Humphreys was confirmed as the new deputy leader in April.
In a statement announcing her stepping down, the 64-year-old veteran politician said: “Politicians are human too; we give all we can for as long as we can but time catches up on us all. As I get older, my health and energy levels are not what they were and I know going forward that I would not be able to give the job the time and commitment it deserves.”
Humphreys, who has been in politics since 2003, has served under four Taoisigh: Enda Kenny, Leo Varadkar, Micheál Martin, and Simon Harris. She is the longest serving female Cabinet Minister in Fine Gael history, and the second longest overall.
She praised Taoiseach Simon Harris, saying that it was the “right choice” for Fine Gael to have elected him to lead the party, and said that under his leadership, “there is a new energy and excitement in the party”.
“We will retain our seat in Cavan-Monaghan and push very strongly for a second Fine Gael seat in this constituency. I will work day and night with our candidates to achieve this goal so that we can return Simon Harris to the office of Taoiseach.
“I want to thank the people of Cavan and Monaghan for putting their trust in me and electing me to Dáil Eireann. It has been the greatest honour of my life to represent you.”
Humphreys thanked the local members of Fine Gael and her staff, as well as her family for their “support and patience” in her 21 years in politics.
Humphreys’ departure from politics marks the eighteenth Fine Gael TD out of the 35 currently in the Dáil to have announced that they would not be contesting the upcoming general election.
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The war only affects one fifth of Ukrainian so why are they all coming to ireland a small country that can hardly manage its own population.
@Fran Riley: All coming to Ireland? How many million is that?
@Fran Riley: avg salary in Ukraine is 188 usd/m and in ireland they get 220 per week + accommodation + food + education + bills that are capped at 30 euros/Month + child benefits and a council house without rent and an irish Passport in 3 years and discounted travel and no tax and insurance and many more so why not come here? thats why ireland has spent more than 3 billions on Ukrainians since the war started.
@Fr. Fintan Stack: so many numbers that we cannot accommodate under a roof and are kept in tents that means we have more than half a million arrived according to unofficial sources because the government will never declare and many came from safe countries like Canada Germany Poland and the rest. you can find this information on Ukrainian Facebook pages.
@Fr. Fintan Stack: There were 84,613 Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSNs) given to arrivals from Ukraine by 06 June 2023, under the Temporary Protection Directive.
We are currently spending €42,000,000 per month on immigration.. unsustainable
@Fran Riley: all? Exaggerated much?
@Fran Riley: ‘they are all coming to Ireland’ haha
Great at giving away money to other countries. While we are taxed to high heaven and pay a fortune for just trying to live
23 million! How about building the M20 instead or using it to benefit our own people.
Martin using our money as a leg-up to get the big job he is chasing—and will need after the next election
Absolutely ridiculous. Ireland should not be propping up any wars . I am disgusted with Martin and his warmongering.
We should be calling for peace talks
@BL Music: mehole is a servant but not for the Irish people
Any chance of peace talks or is it just send more and more military equipment. This war will go on for years and lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths.
@: russia does need to be defeated, and defeated so utterly that it wont be a threat to its neighbours again.
Then we can have peace.
If we do not ensure that defeat of russia, then we assure further wars, and more death and destruction.
Now is the time.
Let’s get it done.
And he more help we give Ukraine, the faster it will be done, with the fewest Ukrainian deaths.
Our weak political representation have been the implored to prolong this war and they are carrying out their orders to the detriment of its own people
Is Martin an influencer now
Oh yeah..let’s all have a Jolly Up in New York.
Looking forward to the day when the focus of the Triplets turns to National Law.
have your say