Fianna Fáil TD Marc MacSharry to retire from politics at next election

Marc MacSharry, the outspoken TD who left Fianna Fáil last year, has announced that he will step down from politics at the next election.

The Sligo deputy, who left the party after an internal row, was a vocal critic of party leader Micheál Martin and had resigned from the parliamentary party a year earlier.

Observers were surprised when Mr MacSharry, whose father Ray was minister for finance in the 1980s and a towering figure in the party at that time, left the Fianna Fáil entirely. He has been an isolated figure in Leinster House since.

A sometimes controversial figure, Mr MacSharry was first elected to the Seanad in 2002 and took a Dáil seat in 2016, winning re-election in 2020.

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In the Seanad he spent time as spokesman on issues such as the marine, finance, health and public expenditure, while in the Dáil he was spokesman on transport and tourism.

His greatest impact on national politics came as a member of the committee that held an inquiry into the banking crisis, and later as a member of the Public Accounts Committee. But any ambitions he had to serve as a minister were frustrated.

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He was popular among colleagues but also considered as something of a loose cannon. He would describe himself as “straight-talking” and his frustration with the leadership of Mr Martin was well-known.

He has recently completed a master's degree at the University of Ulster and is expected to pursue a career in the private sector after the next election.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mr MacSharry said: “It has been an extraordinary privilege to serve in the Oireachtas since 2002. I am eternally grateful to all for the opportunity to serve as a TD and Senator over more than 21 years.

“I would like to thank everyone for their support and assistance. I look forward to continuing to work on behalf of the people of Sligo, Leitrim, South Donegal and North Roscommon between now and the conclusion of this administration. Through the years I have worked to the very best of my ability and now feel it is the correct time to open a new chapter in my life and pursue alternative opportunities. ”