MR Ted Nealon, the Fine Gael TD for Sligo-Leitrim, has announced that he will not be a candidate at the forthcoming general election. He is the 12th Dail deputy to announce that he will retire later this year.
In a statement last night, Mr Nealon (67) said he had now been in politics full-time for 20 years, 16 in the Dail and four as Fine Gael press secretary.
"The nature of the work of a deputy, under our present electoral system, means that it totally dominates one's life. I now look forward to having more time with my family and for some other pursuits," he said.
The present Government was doing an excellent job, he believed, and he had told the Taoiseach that he would be available to work in any way he could to help ensure that Mr Bruton gets renewed mandate in the election.
Mr Nealon, a well-known journalist and broadcaster, was first elected to represent Sligo-Leitrim in 1981, when he gained one of the extra 23 seats then won by Fine Gael. He was appointed Minister of State for Western Development on his first day in thy Dail.
He served as Minister of State in the Department of the Taoiseach with responsibility for Arts and Culture from 1982 to 1987 and at the Department of Communications with special responsibility for Broadcasting 1983-1987.
He pioneered the official parliamentary directory for the Dail publishing Nealon's Guide to successive Daileanna after general elections.
Mr Nealon joins the ranks of seven Fianna Fail, three Fine Gael, one Labour and one Progressive Democrats deputies who will not be seeking re-election.
