MINISTER FOR SOCIAL Protection Heather Humphreys has said she is hanging up her “political boots” when asked if she is done with public life – including a mooted bid for the presidency next year.

Months after being appointed deputy Fine Gael leader, and just weeks out from a general election, she made the shock announcement that she would not be running.

She has said this was due to not being physically able to serve for another five years.

“I’m not dying or anything, there’s nothing major wrong with me,” she said when the news emerged. “The problem in politics is that if you slow the pace down, someone else will pass you out.”

She said she told the Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris at the end of August and he wished her well.

Humphreys, who has been a TD for Cavan-Monaghan since 2011, is among the 15 current Fine Gael TDs who are not seeking re-election.

This is despite a boost in polling numbers for the party since Harris took over as leader in March.

Humphreys was one of their most experienced TDs, having served as a Cabinet minister for the arts, business, justice, rural development and social protection.

Her name had been floated among possible contenders for an Áras bid next year.

Asked about the possibility earlier today, Humphreys replied: “I’m hanging up my political boots and I’m going to get involved in other things.

“I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family and my friends because some of them have been put on hold for the last 14 years, so they’ll be getting the phone calls now and having me out for coffee.

“But there’s other things to do in life and I’m looking forward to that.”

Asked if she was definitely stepping away from public life, she added: “I’m hanging up those political boots, I’m giving them a good rest.”