Kerry TD Brendan Griffin says he didn’t have a row with the Taoiseach because he wasn’t offered the Government Chief Whip position.
The Fine Gael TD served as Deputy Government Chief Whip prior to the reshuffle.
He had been tipped to take on the whip’s job in December, but was instead junior ministries which he turned down.
Deputy Brendan Griffin confirmed to Radio Kerry that he won’t contest the next General Election; he’s stepping down at the end of this Dáil term.
He says he wants to spend more time with his wife and young sons.
Ahead of December’s cabinet reshuffle, Deputy Griffin had been tipped to become Government Chief Whip; he says he’d have stayed in politics to take on this role, if it had been offered to him.
He says he was disappointed he didn’t get offered this position as it would have been a family-friendly role.
Deputy Griffin says he didn’t have a row with Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael Leo Varadkar at the time:
Deputy Griffin was offered junior ministries but declined them; he says out of respect to the incumbents he won’t say outline which positions they were.
The Kerry Fine Gael TD says he remains on good terms with the Taoiseach, and will always be grateful to Leo Varadkar as he gave him the junior ministry for tourism and sport in 2017.
He says he respects that Taoiseach Leo Varadkar had difficult decisions to make when it came to the reshuffle.
Deputy Griffin says he’s looking forward to working hard for the people of Kerry for the next year or more, but is also excited for his life after politics.
