The decision of Galway West Fine Gael TD Pádraic McCormack not to contest the next general election brings to 18 the number of TDs who have announced their intention of retiring from politics.
A total of 12 Fianna Fáil TDs, four from Labour and two from Fine Gael have now said they will not be running again. Further announcements are expected before next year's general election.
Mr McCormack's decision has prompted the Fine Gael Mayor of Galway Brian Walsh to reconsider his decision not to seek a nomination to contest the election.
Only a month ago, the newly married 32-year-old mayor announced that he would not be putting himself forward as a candidate in Galway West in the next general election despite strong pressure from the party hierarchy, because he wanted to concentrate on local politics and his new business.
"My recent decision not to run in the next election was based on my understanding that Pádraic would be the candidate and I would have been fully supportive of him. Obviously, I will now have to revisit my decision and discuss it with the party and my family," said Mr Walsh yesterday.
Oranmore Councillor Fidelma Healy-Eames has already confirmed she will be putting her name forward for selection. Both are expected to win nominations and may be joined on the Fine Gael ticket by a third candidate from the Connemara area.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has paid tribute to the retiring TD. "While this is a disappointment, as his re-election would have been assured, I respect his decision absolutely.
"Pádraic McCormack has served the people of Galway West well over many years. He also made many sacrifices in the interests of Fine Gael, including standing down at convention when Fine Gael won two seats with John Donnellan and Fintan Coogan. He has assured me of his continued full activity and support for the party for the future."
Mr McCormack was first elected to Galway County Council in 1974, Galway City Council in 1985, the Seanad in 1987 and the Dáil in 1989. Uniquely, at one stage during the summer of 1989 he was a member of the Seanad, the Dáil, a city council and county council.
"It has been a great honour and a privilege to have served the people of Galway city and county over the years. I have no regrets and have been very lucky to be a representative for the people of Galway for so long," said the retiring TD.
"After 32 years in public life I felt the time was right to make my intentions known. With the growing disillusion of the electorate with this Government, it is now an ideal time for the party to put forward younger candidates to take up the mantle on behalf of Fine Gael," he said.
Mr McCormack stressed that he would continue to work as a full-time public representative for the people of West Galway until the next election.
"I will be at my constituency office as usual at 8.30am on Monday to start the political working week and I am confident that, at the next election, this Government will be replaced by a government with Enda Kenny TD as taoiseach."
Standing down: current TDs not running in next election
Fianna Fáil
Liam Aylward (Carlow Kilkenny). Born 1952. A TD since 1977, he was elected to the European Parliament in 2004. Served as a junior minister in a number of departments.
Síle de Valera (Clare). Born 1954. First elected in 1977. She was an MEP between 1979 and 1984, a member of the cabinet between 1997 and 2002 and a junior minister since then. Helped to precipitate the early retirement of Jack Lynch in 1979 with a speech attacking his Northern policy.
Dan Wallace (Cork North Central). Born 1942. First elected in 1982. Had two spells as a junior minister.
Joe Walsh (Cork South West). Born 1943. A long-serving minister for agriculture from 1997 to 2004 and before that in 1993/94. Previously a junior minister in the same department from 1987 onwards.
Jim McDaid (Donegal North East). Born 1949. The colourful doctor served in cabinet as minister for tourism and sport from 1997 to 2002 and was subsequently a junior minister. Huge controversy when he was appointed minister for defence by Charles Haughey in 1991. Had to stand down because of PD objections.
Dermot Fitzpatrick (Dublin Central). Born 1940. Was elected to the Dáil in 1987 at his first attempt but lost his seat in 1989. Made comeback to Dáil in 2002. His daughter has been selected to run in his place.
GV Wright (Dublin North). Born 1947. First elected to the Dáil in 1987. Has been embroiled in controversy since the disclosure at the planning tribunal about payments from Frank Dunlop.
Eoin Ryan (Dublin South East). Born 1953. Has been a TD since 1992 and was appointed a junior minister in 2000 but unaccountably dropped by the Taoiseach in 2002. Elected to European Parliament in 2004.
Michael Collins (Limerick West). Born 1940. First elected in 2002 in succession to his brother, Gerard. Father was also a Fianna Fáil TD. Was involved in controversy when it emerged he had an offshore bank account.
Noel Davern (Tipperary South). Born 1945. First elected in 1969, the popular TD has been a junior minister, a full cabinet minister and an MEP. Brother and father were also Fianna Fáil TDs.
Tony Dempsey (Wexford). Born 1944. First-time TD made surprise decision to call it a day after just one term. A former teacher, businessman and manager of the Wexford hurling team, he was a surprise candidate in 2002.
Joe Jacob (Wicklow). Born 1939. Elected in 1987, he was junior energy minister from 1997 to 2002. Served as leas cathaoirleach of Dáil and chairman of the Fianna Fáil PP.
Labour
Seamus Pattison (Carlow Kilkenny). Born 1936. The father of the House he has been a TD since 1961. Was ceann comhairle from 1997 to 2002 and has been leas ceann comhairle since 2002. A junior minister from 1982 to 1987 and an MEP from 1981 to 1983.
Joe Sherlock (Cork East). Born 1935. Oldest member of Dáil, he was first elected in 1981 as a Workers Party TD. Lost his seat twice. Made it back again in 2002. Son has been selected as candidate for the next election.
Seán Ryan (Dublin North). Born 1943. First elected in 1992, he lost his seat in 1997 but returned to Dáil in byelection caused by resignation of Ray Burke. Brother has been selected to run in his place.
Breeda Moynihan Cronin (Kerry South). Born 1953. Elected to the Dáil in 1992 in succession to her father, Michael, who was elected as a Labour TD in 1981 having been an unsuccessful candidate at every previous election since 1954.
Fine Gael
Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, pictured above). Born 1942. A Dáil deputy since 1989, he is a former chairman of the Fine Gael parliamentary party.
Paul McGrath (Westmeath).
Born 1948. First elected to the Dáil in 1989, he is the party's deputy spokesman on finance. Announced his decision to retire after a disagreement over electoral strategy for the new Longford-Westmeath constituency.