Jonathan O'Brien's retirement from politics a dilemma for his party

The decision of Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O'Brien to retire from national politics creates a dilemma for his party but also sets up a fascinating battle in the constituency of Cork North-Central.

O'Brien, a TD since 2011, was seen as a safe bet from the party's point of view of being re-elected.

A popular if understated performer, O'Brien has been a star in the recent examination of the Football Association of Ireland, given his strong links with Cork City Football Club.

Not a ranter or a shouter like some of his excitable colleagues, O'Brien is an authentic operator and his departure is a significant blow to an already bruised Sinn Féin.

In his revealing interview with the Echo, O'Brien dismissed any rumours of him falling out with Sinn Féin, saying that his decision came down to a need for personal change and his frustrations at the “inhumane” treatment of vulnerable people by the state.

Articulating the frustrations of being an opposition TD, O'Brien said he has felt helpless, watching his constituents fall victim to the worst failures of the Irish state.

And far too often, he said there was nothing he could do.

“I’m not a social worker. I’m not qualified to be a social worker, and that’s something our body politic needs to look at.

There is a lot of pain and a lot of misery and a lot of hurt out there at the moment, and the system is so inhumane in how it treats vulnerable people and they come to TDs out of desperation, seeking help, and in many cases there's very little we can do only provide them a listening ear and point them in the right direction.

He said that you can only do so much in opposition and spend most of your time watching the establishment spin its heels and plaster over deep wounds in society.

“When people hear the likes of Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin saying "We’ve opened up so many new centres, we’ve shortened waiting lists from two years to 18 months", that means nothing to somebody who is living on the edge. 14 days is too long for them, not to mind 14 months," he said.

"Politics, I’m doing it 20 years and like anybody doing a job for 20 years you start looking for something different and new challenges and I felt the time was right for me going into the next general election.

“I always said I didn’t want to be doing politics into my 50s and 60s like some career politicians.

“If there was any issue between me and the party, I would be the first person to say it. I’ve been critical of the party in the past.

"I say it as I see it, and I think the party is in a strong position under Mary Lou. After the election, I’ll still be a party member. I’ll be an active member of the party until the day I die,” he told the Echo.

The lessons of what he is saying must be heeded by the political system or other strong performers will seek a life elsewhere.

But his departure from the stage now means that of the four TDs elected to Cork North-Central in 2016, only one will be standing this time around.

Solidarity's Mick Barry will be the sole survivor following the departure of Billy Kelleher to the European Parliament and the resignation of Fine Gael's Dara Murphy, who has taken up a job with the Bulgarian Commissioner.

It means an already open field is now that bit more unpredictable.

Fine Gael is pinning its hopes on sitting Senator Colm Burke who has tried and failed several times to win a seat there. There are still lingering mutterings as to why Jerry Buttimer was not transferred over from the highly competitive Cork South-Central to pin down a seat there.

Given how open North-Central is now, the party, had it played its cards right, could legitimately have looked at winning two seats.

Fianna Fáil, having won the Kelleher by-election through Pádraig O'Sullivan, looks certain to hold his seat but one question is whether Thomas Gould will be able to hold O'Brien's seat.

With O'Brien signalling a willingness to back the party's candidate, Gould should slot in easily enough.

That leaves Mick Barry's seat. Will he fall foul of the squeeze on the left as was witnessed in the local elections last May which saw the formerly Anti-Austerity Alliance number drop from three to just one?

Even though he is last man standing from the class of 2016, Barry looks as of now to be the most vulnerable.