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MINISTER OF STATE John Halligan has said that he will not be running again for election, and announced his retirement “from political life”.
The Waterford TD had previously indicated that he may not seek re-election.
In a statement released this morning, Halligan said that after 30 years in politics, that now is the time for him to retire.
“I now feel the time is right to start a new chapter and devote more time to my family – my wife, children and grandchildren – all of whom have been an unfailing support to me.”
It has truly been a profound honour to represent the people of Waterford at both local and national level throughout my career.
I have served every single day in public office fighting for what I believed was right and working with determination on behalf of my constituents.
He thanked the people of Waterford and said that it was “heartening” for him to step aside “at a time of regeneration, growth and renewed optimism in Waterford”.
Halligan’s Independent Alliance colleague Sports Minister Shane Ross appeared to prematurely announce Halligan’s news yesterday, stating:
“I am very, very sorry that Finian McGrath and John Halligan are not standing, but come polling day Independents will be very strong again”.
Ross told reporters yesterday that the Independent Alliance had not run its course despite Minister of State Kevin “Boxer” Moran resigning from the grouping to stand as an independent with no affiliation.
Minister of State Finian McGrath also announced yesterday that he is retiring from the Dáil.
While Ross denied it is the end of the Independent Alliance, the departure of Halligan will certainly signal otherwise.
The Independent Alliance have been in government with Fine Gael since the group of independents bartered a programme for government with former Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
Halligan was one of the more colourful characters in the grouping, often speaking out against some government policies.
He was supportive of the Occupied Territories Bill, pushed for euthanasia legislation, and in his early days in government told this publication “if I could bring in legislation to goddamn jail landlords, I would jail the bastards”.
Halligan also pushed to get the Waterford Cath lab opened in his constituency.
- with reporting from Gráinne Ní Aodha
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Great to see – now lets really tackle packaging waste and force business to make the environmentally correct choice when choosing their packaging – We need to get rid of plastic bottles, plastic wrapping and one off coffee cups and lids
@brian boru:
Bring in another tax…..
@P.J. Nolan: not all taxes are bad – some make sense and others are just greedy – if taxes make it cost effective for a business to do the right thing then it is a good tax in my book. Some are greedy and corrupt like the Irish water plan and need to be fought but smart taxation can be beneficial to society.
All the chocolate bar companies have moved to plastic wrapping because it costs less. Like wise the soft drink companies have moved to plastic bottles because they are prettier. Neither are thinking about the environment and need to be forced to rethink their packaging plans. Taxation is the fastest route to getting these huge companies to change their game plan at the speed we need it to happen.
@brian boru: I would be far more comfortable if chocolate bars once again came in paper and foil. I know they wont recycle the foil but i’m sure it does far less than damage to the environment than plastic.
@Darren Byrne: The plastic gives a longer shelf life so the chocolate companies are using it to give them higher margins at the cost of the environment. Regulatory needs to step in and drive a higher cost to the manufacturer for using the plastic due to the environmental cost. Am sure if the right pressure was applied a solution could be arranged that worked for everyone. The only lever I can think of in this situation is taxation as expecting people to make the change will take generations.
@brian boru: I’m sure it does give longer shelf life, but surely chocolate is a fast-selling item with a high turnover rate? And once bought? I’ve often eaten a square or two and put it away for a week or so, okay, I’m odd, but a lot of people seem to eat bars very quickly once they have some in the house – I’ve even heard of people freezing a bar to keep it for later. I honestly don’t see chocolate as being in any danger of going off before it’s consumed.
It’s fantastic the system works, now let’s solve the plastic bottles ( bottle water ) and the coffee cup problem .
Great and more to be done… especially with plastic
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/plasticpledge/?beta=true
Where are all the reusable items stripped out of the WEEE appliances. Is it Ireland, UK, Europe.
Surely it’s not Africa where all that toxic stuff is released in both the air and the soil/water, by burning all that plastic stuff that covers wires and other components by folks trying to scrape a living together ?
Any answers appreciated. Hope I’m wrong.
Is a dildo a small appliance? Just asking
@Seriously stunned: that all depends on the wife’s choice in style
@Seriously stunned: that all depends on the wife’s choice in style
If domestic appliances were designed and built to last longer than the now average 5 to 10 years lifespan then recycling would be greatly reduced.The average lifespan of some appliances twenty or thirty years ago was averaging ten to twenty years .Most appliances now have built in obsolescence.
Great, but after the specials on Aldi and Lidl this Sunday, we’ll need extra capacity!
You are going to have a great bunch of lads moistening their lips when you talk about that much copper
This just demonstrates the amount of junk we buy throw out and replace. Thats not sustainable
have your say