Wright will not contest election

Dublin North Fianna Fáil TD GV Wright will not be contesting the next general election. He is the 14th member of the Dáil to announce his retirement and a number of others are expected to follow suit over the next 12 months. test

Mr Wright said yesterday that it was time for a younger person to take on the role and he wished to effect a change in career at a time when he felt capable of taking on new challenges.

He is the second TD in the constituency to announce that he will be standing down at the end of the current Dáil - Labour's Seán Ryan has already announ- ced his decision not to run again.

The other sitting deputies are Jim Glennon of Fianna Fáil and Green Party leader Trevor Sargent.

Mr Wright said he had every confidence that his work will be continued by Mr Glennon and the two Fianna Fáil councillors in the area, Michael Kennedy and Darragh O'Brien.

Mr Wright first came into national politics when he was appointed a senator by Charles Haughey in 1982. He was a TD from 1987 to 1989 when he lost his seat; a senator from 1989 to 1997; and a TD again from 1997 to date. He was the Fianna Fáil leader in the Seanad from 1992 to 1997; and a member of Dublin County Council, and later Fingal County Council, from 1985 to 2004.

At the Mahon tribunal, lobbyist Frank Dunlop claimed he made a payment of £7,000 to Mr Wright when he was a member of Dublin County Council.

Mr Wright is a former Dublin Gaelic footballer and a former international basketball player and coach.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said Mr Wright was "a hard-working, competent and popular public representative", whose enthusiasm, experience and good humour would be missed.