AILING minister Martin Cullen has delivered a hammer blow to the Government by retiring from politics and compromising its Dáil majority.
The Arts, Sports and Tourism Minister said he could not continue due to the effects of a chronic back condition and the painkillers he has been prescribed.
He met Taoiseach Brian Cowen in his office yesterday evening to deliver a resignation letter.
"I have always been a fighter and optimistic in both my personal and political life; however, my consultant’s advice is that my condition is deteriorating further and options for treatment and recovery are narrowing," he stated.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Cullen revealed he first considered retirement in 2007, on medical advice, and stayed in office last year to avoid compromising the Government while it took difficult decisions.
His retirement will take effect as soon as Mr Cowen announces his Cabinet reshuffle, expected in two weeks. It will create a Dáil vacancy in Waterford and prompt the need for a third by-election on top of those in Dublin South and Donegal South West. Mr Cullen’s departure leaves the Government needing the support of its rebel backbenchers to stay in office.
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore said the reduced majority, coupled with internal strife in the Green Party, had compromised the ability of the Government to make difficult but necessary decisions.
However, Mr Cullen said he believed the Government had the numbers to continue. He said he would have been disingenuous to continue when he could not attend the Dáil.
"Clearly my health is not in a position to leave me to continue. And I am the sort of person if I can’t do something at 100% I wouldn’t be disingenuous and pretend I was doing something."
Mr Cullen was first elected to the Dáil as a Progressive Democrat in 1987. In 1994, he defected to Fianna Fáil and became a junior minister in 1997.
In 2002, he was promoted to Cabinet and has served at Environment, Transport, Social and Family Affairs and, most recently, Arts, Sports and Tourism.
A statement issued on behalf of the Taoiseach paid tribute to Mr Cullen and said his decision to retire from politics completely was appropriate. "The Taoiseach said that this is entirely in keeping with the seriousness with which Minister Cullen has approached his duties as a public representative, for which he won the support of the people of Waterford city and county since he entered Dáil."
Fine Gael’s Olivia Mitchell said it was always disheartening when illness forced somebody to retire.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, March 09, 2010
