The extraordinarily high number of retiring Fine Gael TDs ahead of the next election has been attributed to several potential reasons: Fatigue after 12 years in Government; the family-unfriendly nature of political life; and the more mundane idea that some of them prefer to retire on their own terms rather than losing their seats at the next election. But perhaps there’s another, more obvious reason: People get into politics in order to wield power and change things in their country. Per Charlie Flanagan, speaking to the Irish Times this weekend, being a TD isn’t the best way to do that, any more:
I do find that the plurality of voices long evident in Leinster House are not as evident now. There is a dangerous intolerance of any view that is not being pushed by vociferous, well-financed and well-funded non-government organisations.”
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