Galway East deputy Ciaran Cannon is to bring down the curtain on his political career at the end of the current Dail term, he announced this week.
He said that after two decades in the public eye, he has given all he can give and that he looks forwrad to sharing new adventures with his wife, Niamh and son, Evan.
Paraphrasing a recent editorial in the Galway Advertiser, Deputy Cannon said that the toxicity of modern politics is deterring good people from putting their names forward for election.
“Following a career spanning twenty years, I have decided to leave politics and not contest the next General Election. I’ve enjoyed politics immensely and have been privileged to work alongside some very committed and talented people.
“After 20 years in any role, I think you begin to reach a point where you’ve given all you can give. I have a deep respect for the people who elected me again and again, and I’m either all in on their behalf, or I’m not.
“I sought election to make an impact, to do something of genuine value for society. That’s the inspiration for the vast majority of us in public life, and I’m confident that I can continue to have an impact in another role, with renewed purpose and passion. I’ve spent the last few weeks reflecting on my future. I spoke with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar just after Christmas and on a number of occasions since. He has been very supportive in allowing me the time and space to make this decision,” he said.
“Growing up in the wonderfully close knit community of Kiltullagh Killimordaly, I learned early on that society is all the better when people come together to pool their talents and time to make good things happen and enrich each other’s lives.
Meitheal
“It’s that ethos of the meitheal which led me into politics in the first place and I’ve tried to live by it all my life, especially in my work as a public representative. One of the most rewarding aspects of my work has been working alongside fantastic community groups all across East Galway.
“Together we have built new schools, sports facilities and public amenities that will benefit those communities for generations to come. Most of all, we have given our young people great places to grow up in.
“We should be so proud of our rural communities, of our people and their potential. When you see a global company like Dexcom choosing Athenry, one of our local towns, as its European base, you know that our future here is secure. However, it’s not time to rest on our laurels, there’s so much more to be done and I’ll be working with the Fine Gael organisation here in Galway East to support candidates who want to play their part in shaping our future.
“It would be remiss of me not to comment on the difference between being a politician now and twenty years ago. That’s also been a factor in my decision to leave. There’s a coarseness, a toxicity in politics now that was barely palpable twenty years ago. None of us asks to be put on a pedestal, or to be treated any differently. We just ask to be treated with the same civility and respect as anyone else doing their job.
“Yes, politicians are subject to public scrutiny, and rightly so, but what we are experiencing right now goes far beyond that and can be deeply damaging to our wellbeing. At times it feels like it’s open season on you and your family. That’s not acceptable, nor indeed sustainable, if we want to have good people choosing politics as a career.
“I was first elected to Dáil Eireann in 2011 and the memories of that time are still vivid in my mind. Our country was on its knees and there was a deep sense of having lost control of our future. Everyone in Government at the time rolled up their sleeves to do the hard yards and while those years were challenging, there was also a great sense of collegiality and common purpose.
“Thirteen years later, any objective observer would argue that Ireland is a very different country. I was charged with reforming our further education and training provision, to make it fit for purpose so that the thousands of our people who were unemployed could re-skill and begin to make a contribution again.
“Working with a very supportive Minister Ruairi Quinn and exceptional public servants, we did exactly that, and the impact of our work still reverberates today. My three years in the Department of Foreign Affairs saw me working with equally exceptional public servants in delivering Ireland’s deeply impactful international development programme and forging stronger links with our Irish community worldwide.
Support
“None of this work would have been possible without the support of the people of Galway East. I am deeply grateful to them for putting their trust in me again and again.
“I’m also deeply grateful to an amazing group of people who have worked with me on every campaign since 2004, particularly my family and a trusted circle of close friends. It’s not easy being out there on the campaign trail, yet they committed a huge amount of personal time to me.
“I’m also fortunate to have superb colleagues in my office who work tirelessly every day to support me and my constituents. The Fine Gael team in Galway East is a strong one with a new generation stepping up to the plate to serve the public. I’ll be working closely with that team to ensure that the people of Galway East continue to be ably represented in Dáil Eireann and I will continue to work hard on behalf of my constituents for the remainder of this Dáil.
“Finally, I want to thank my wife and son who give me the love and support I need to do this job well. My wife is my guiding star, I can’t even begin to describe how pivotal she has been to my work. My son was only seven when I started my career, he has grown up surrounded by politics and has become a trusted advisor on so many aspects of the job, particularly as my work applies to his generation, a generation that gives me so much hope for our future.
“Our Irish young people are highly educated and motivated, with a deep sense of their collective responsibility to care for our planet. We’re in very safe hands now and for me, that’s the greatest legacy of my twenty years,” he concluded.
