Fine Gael Clare TD Joe Carey 'expected to resign after the summer'

Joe Carey had initially spent several nights on a trolley in the University Hospital Limerick emergency department in March 2023, before being moved to the cardiology unit. Photo: Eamon Ward

Speculation is building within Fine Gael that long-serving Clare TD Joe Carey could resign his Dáil seat in September due to illness.

The Clare TD, who was first elected in 2007 for Fine Gael, has been on long-term sick leave since March 2023 when he was admitted to the hospital over breathing issues, before being treated for cardiac issues.

Sources within Fine Gael have indicated that Mr Carey is unlikely to contest the next general election and could instead opt to resign his seat in a number of months to avoid a by-election.

One Fine Gael source said that it is well known within the party that Mr Carey will not run again, with an expectation that his sister Leonora Carey could contest the seat in his place.

Ms Carey, who is a former chair of the Fine Gael executive council, has also been spotted attending public meetings in Clare in recent months, fueling ongoing speculation as to Mr Carey’s future in politics.

“We expect him to resign after the summer, that would prevent a by-election,” the source said.

One TD said that there would be a precedent for a resignation, citing the decision by former Fine Gael TD Brian Walsh to resign his Dáil seat over ill health in January 2016, just weeks away from a general election.

Mr Carey’s office confirmed that the Clare TD is “still on long-term sick leave” and that there is currently “no anticipated return date”.

The 47-year-old TD had initially spent several nights on a trolley in the University Hospital Limerick emergency department in March 2023, before being moved to the cardiology unit.

In a video posted in the days after he entered hospital, Mr Carey said that he first became unwell at home and that he “could not breathe at all” for around half an hour.

He thanked the hospital staff for providing him with “exceptional care” and apologised as he would be missing several upcoming local meetings.

Fine Gael departures

There have been a significant number of Fine Gael TDs announcing their intention to step down at the next election, including most recently Dublin Rathdown TD Josepha Madigan — who resigned her junior ministerial post late last month.

There is also uncertainty as to the intentions of both Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney, with the two TDs both indicating that they will consider their futures over the summer recess.

In his last interview as Taoiseach, Mr Varadkar said that he has received several “interesting” job offers, but was yet to make a final decision on whether or not to run again.