*Joe Carey.
TRIBUTES have come in from across the political divide for retiring Clare TD, Joe Carey (FG).
After over a year of speculation, Deputy Carey confirmed on Monday morning that owing to health reasons he was retiring from politics and ending his time as a TD, he was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 2011 and has spent twenty five years as a public representative.
Taoiseach, Simon Harris (FG) described Carey as “an outstanding champion for the people of Clare. Joe is putting his health first and he has all of our support in Fine Gael on that journey. He leaves the Clare constituency ready for the future and is moving to his next chapter with all of our support”.
Senator Martin Conway (FG) stated, “It has been a privilege to work with Joe for the last twenty years and particularly the last thirteen years as a member of the Oireachtas. We have worked together as members of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party to ensure Government delivered for Co Clare and its people”.
Ennistymon native Conway added, “Joe has been a great advocate for the people of County Clare. In recent times, Joe has undergone significant medical challenges and I have no doubt it has been a very difficult time for him. I would like to wish Joe, Grace and their family the very best for the future”.
Former Clare TD, Madeline Taylor Quinn who is currently Chair of the Fine Gael branch in Clare said, “I always found Joe an extremely approachable personable amenable person. He was very co-operative in advancing causes throughout the county and individual concerns of his constituents”.
She stated, “He was particularly concerned about community health service and the state of the health service in Clare and Mid-West region in general. He was vigorous in his pursuit of the health service in Clare, in addition he recognised the importance of Shannon to both industrial and tourism business in the county and he chaired the Transport Committee in the Oireachtas, he advanced in every way he could the case of Shannon Airport. Personally it is a very difficult time for him, I have absolutely sympathy for him, a man in his prime to be forced into a situation of having to step aside because of ill health”.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Patrick O’Donovan (FG) who himself experienced a health scare last year after collapsing in the Dáil but recovered ten weeks later to resume his duties, was another to wish the Clarecastle man well. “I want to wish my good friend and neighbour Joe Carey all the best with his decision to step back from politics. I’ve known Joe for years and in that time he has been a great servant to The Banner. I wish him good health for the years ahead,” the Limerick TD commented.
Clare TD, Cathal Crowe (FF) said he was “saddened” to hear that Deputy Carey would not be contesting the General Election on health grounds. “Joe is one of life’s gentlemen and was a good colleague when we both served together on Clare County Council and, more recently, as TD for the Clare Constituency. I wish to sincerely thank Joe for his twenty five years of unwavering commitment to public office and to representing our county. Whilst the job of TD is an important one and is very demanding, at the end of the day it’s just a job and one’s health and family must come first. I wish Joe the very, very best on all fronts but, in particular, on the health front”.
Ex Junior Minister, Frank Feighan (FG) TD said during his nine years in the Dáil that Carey was “one of the nicest, hard-working and most popular TD in the Oireachtas”.
