Bhamjee reflects on "high" and "lows" of Irish politics

NOW that I've decided not to go again, I will miss the Dail. People are telling me "you can win the seat again" but of course, they will always tell you that once you've stood down.

But to remain a politician there has to be an extra element in your character in which you want to talk politics all the time, and you enjoy the intrigue and drama of it. I never had enough of that extra bit. Certain aspects of it perhaps, but I can't talk politics endlessly.

At the same time, I'll miss the buzz, the interviews. Already the phone calls from my local radio station have diminished and there are fewer interviews. The invitations to dinners and functions have stopped.

I'll miss being recognised as well. Being a TD means you lose a certain amount of privacy, but I enjoyed watching people's reactions when they would suddenly stop and point me out to their friends.

But although the excitement is great and winning the seat is one thing, actually being a TD is something else. When you're elected nobody tells you what your contract of employment is. Nobody tells you "these are your hours of work, or this is what a TD does".

For me, it was all a big shock, particularly because we didn't expect to win. Suddenly I had to know about everything - education, social welfare, potholes, the environment, health. You name it and I had to know a bit about it.

I never said much in the Dail, which is one of the criticisms made of me. But as a back bench TD you realise there is no point. I did a fair amount of lobbying. People give out about the advisers, but I found them most helpful.

I had been interested in politics before becoming a TD, but on the sidelines, really. I became chairman of the local branch in absentia. I was away at a soccer match and came back when the meeting was about to close and they said, "we've elected you chairperson". I got the nomination from there.

I'd never been to a party conference before so I hadn't even met many Labour TDs. When I arrived at Leinster House Niamh Bhreathnach was the first person to meet me at the front gates. She showed me around and we have had a good relationship since.

Being a doctor and becoming a politician is difficult because there has to be a transformation in your thinking and behaviour. You have to look at a problem from a political angle now. You have to size up your personal line against the party line and constituency needs. In the beginning I was green and said things I shouldn't have, but I learnt from my mistakes.

Some of my colleagues would make jokes about my being a doctor. "You're a psychiatrist, you must be analysing us. What did you think of so and so?" So I'd always have some comment to pass as well. Race, however, was never an issue. There was the novelty of my election and a few jokes about it, but nothing more.

I didn't analyse any of the TDs, not really. I didn't want to - you never make an analysis of those you're working with. I left that to the journalists and they analyse everybody.

There were some "highs", as when the divorce legislation was passed. As chairman of the Clare Divorce Action Group I canvassed in 1986 when it was unpopular, and got a lot of abuse. So it gave me a certain satisfaction that I helped bring divorce into Ireland.

Another high was budget day, my favourite in the Dail. It was one debate I always sat through. I was happy too with the abolition of university fees by a government involving Labour.

There were of course the "down" times such as the tension over the change of government in 1994. Another low was the day I missed a vote on the Luas and we lost.

I suppose that making the decision not to run again was a low, because I had won the seat after 40 years without a Labour TD in Clare. So I was quite pleased when Bridin Twist, president of the ICA, announced that she would be looking for the Labour nomination. I will be out canvassing with her.

We are not expected to retake the seat. But when I was campaigning everybody said I'd never win the seat, that there was no Labour vote in Clare.

But there is a certain ambivalence in Ireland to Labour. We are supposed to save the country and we're also supposed to be the cause of all the bad things in the country. As to the next government I'd see the present Coalition, more or less, returning with a very slim majority.

My family is delighted at my decision not to run again and I am lucky I have a profession I can go back to. There was criticism of me working two jobs but they don't say that about other TDs.

As a backbencher I wasn't frustrated but I had to adjust to the ride. I found you have to support government and party policies and follow the line.

The other thing I've found is that there is a lot of blackmail in politics, in getting elected. For example, one man phoned me and said: "If you get me that planning permission there's 10 votes in my family for you."

I had difficulty too, with people calling to the house. I found it very strange and discouraged it.

I think the Dail could be more productive by cutting long winded debates. There should be a free vote on occasions as well. The public criticises the House and at the same time there is great respect because it is something that the people of Ireland have died for in the past.

I don't think that respect is misplaced but the public overdoes the abuse of TDs. The electorate forgets that the Dail is a job and politicians have mortgages too, and have to struggle for a vote.

I would like to see more African Irish, Indian Irish, Chinese Irish becoming TDs. People will have to accept they are Irish and Ireland is becoming more cosmopolitan.

Dr Moosajee Bhamjee is a South African Indian who grew up under the apartheid system. He studied at the College of Surgeons, Dublin and is a psychiatrist at Our Lady's Hospital Ennis. He was elected Labour TD for Clare in 1992.