Meathman's Diary: Bowing out of elected politics

It is a reflection on the demands of political life today that recent weeks have seen two young men, Shane Cassells and Damien English, both parliamentarians in their mid-40s, taking a step back from the fray as we face into another general election.

Chairing the Fine Gael convention in Navan on Wednesday last was another man departing the scene, also a young politician - Simon Coveney, the former agriculture, foreign affairs and enterprise minister, who had very kind words to say about Damien English.

“It won't be a surprise to him, but it's something that I don't say very often – the person I have been closest to in politics and across my career has been Damien.”

The outgoing Cork South-Central TD said that Damien was an extraordinary source of support and a mentor to so many people across the country, particularly those that stood for the first time in the local elections for Fine Gael this summer, when he was director of elections nationally for the party.

“When they were asked who was the person in the party that they could relate to, make a call to, who would come talk to them, they would say Damien.”

Coveney said that English was one of the most selfless politicians that he knew of.

“Most politicians like to see themselves on posters, like to hear themselves on radio, like to be centre of attention at events. But Damien never sought that type of attention. He is in politics because he knows it matters. He knows it is important that good people, people who care about the place they came from, the communities that they grew up in, that they step forward and stand for something.

“He has done that since he was 21 years of age, some 24/25 years ago, when he was one of the youngest councillors on Meath County Council and went on to be one of the youngest TDs in the Dáil.”

Simon Coveney said he played rugby with Damien, and soccer in Old Trafford with him, and they had lots of good times together.

When Damien reached the junior ministerial ranks, he was the junior minister every cabinet member wanted, Coveney continued.

“And it was because of that work rate, the selflessness, the lack of ego, the appetite to get an enormous amount of work done for all the right reasons.”

Helen McEntee paid tribute to Damien's work rate, saying that morning, noon or night, he would be on the other end of the phone or available to meet.

“He is always the first to pick up a phone to offer to help if you are in a difficult situation,” the Minister for Justice continued, describing him as a straight talker, and the reason why Fine Gael did so well in the local elections. Kindly words for the outgoing deputy after 25 years in public service, at a time when political discourse is getting quite nasty.