Eoghan Murphy has resigned his seat as TD for Dublin Bay South.
The former Fine Gael TD, who has served in the Dáil since 2011 as a TD, minister of State and Cabinet minister, wrote to the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil on Tuesday morning to confirm his resignation.
A by-election will be held in the constituency within the next six months.
Prior to entering Leinster House, he was elected a Dublin city councillor in 2009 for the Pembroke-Rathmines constituency. Having served as minister for housing in the last Dáil, he was controversially snubbed from any ministerial role this time around.
Mr Murphy said: “It has been a huge privilege to serve the Dublin Bay South constituency, first as a councillor and then as a TD.”
He said it was “a personal decision” to resign his seat.
“Leaving frontline politics is not something that I am doing without having considered the matter fully. In my late 20s, I worked in the UN system before I returned to Ireland to get involved alongside many other people looking to play their part in the national recovery at the time. And now, after 12 years of service and having reflected upon things, I have made the decision to return to international affairs.
“I have resigned my seat today, not to leave politics entirely, but to pursue a career in the area of international co-operation, human rights and democracy.
“I want to thank all who I have worked alongside in Fine Gael, in the Oireachtas, in various Government departments, in Dublin City Council and numerous other agencies and bodies who serve the Irish people so well.
“It has been an honour and I wish you all every success in the future.
“I finally want to thank all in my constituency who put their faith in me so many years ago and have stood by me ever since. I will be eternally grateful.”
Varadkar response
Tánaiste and leader of Fine Gael Leo Varadkar said he was “very sorry, personally and professionally” to see Mr Murphy leave politics.
“Eoghan has served as a Fine Gael TD for ten years and prior to that as a councillor in his constituency. His considerable electoral success in three successive general elections shows the high regard in which he is held by his community,” he said.
“He was one of the architects of the Dáil reforms that took place in 2016; he served as a Minister of State in the Department of Finance before being appointed to Cabinet in 2017.
“Eoghan took over the housing brief at a most difficult time. History will record that under his leadership, the provision of new social housing increased manifold and the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan provided a mortgage to thousands of first-time buyers who otherwise would have got none.
He added: “I wish Eoghan every success in his future career, and perhaps we may see him return to play a role in Ireland in the future.”
Fine Gael councillor in Dublin Bay South, James Geoghegan, wished Mr Murphy well in his future career.
“The local members in Fine Gael are saddened by his departure but we will work as a team in the coming by-election,” he said.
