Rabbitte to step down

Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte is to step down today after five years in the position, party sources confirmed.

The Dublin South West TD, 58 is due to announce his surprise decision at a press conference in central Dublin later.

The Labour Party did not win any extra seats in May’s general election and critics said a alliance with Fine Gael lost it votes in some constituencies.

“Mr Rabbitte will officially announce his resignation today,” a senior party official confirmed.

The race to succeed Mr Rabbitte will begin immediately and the pressure will be on to select a candidate before the new Dáill term begins on September 26.

The front runners include senior party TD Eamon Gilmore, deputy leader Liz McManus and current Leas Ceann Comhairle Brendan Howlin.

Mr Rabbitte is now the fourth party leader to become a casualty of May’s general election.

Tánaiste and Progressive Democrats leader Michael McDowell dramatically quit politics after losing his seat in Dublin South East.

Greens leader Trevor Sargent resigned after failing to honour a pre-election pledge not to enter power with Fianna Fáil and Socialist Party leader and lone TD Joe Higgins lost his seat in Dublin West.

Mr Rabbitte succeeded former Finance Minister Ruairi Quinn at the helm of his party in October 2002.

The Co Mayo native served as a Minister for Commerce, Science and Technology and had a seat at the Cabinet table between 1994-1997.

His Democratic Left merged with the Labour Party in 1999.

The father-of-three is a former president of the Students’ Union at University College Galway and of the Union of Students in Ireland.

He later served as secretary of the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union, now Siptu.