The Sligo Leitrim TD Marc Mac Sharry TD has announced he will not contest the next general election.
In announcing his decision he said it was an extraordinary privilege to serve in the Oireachtas but that now was the correct time to open a new chapter in his life and pursue alternative opportunities
Deputy MacSharry successfully ran in the 2016 General Election and was re-elected to the current Sligo Leitrim constituency which also includes parts of south Donegal and north Roscommon in 2020.
The Independent Deputy was also elected to Seanad Eireann on three occasions between 2002 and 2016.
While in Fianna Fáil he served as Seanad Spokesman on the Marine, Finance, Health and Public Expenditure.
As a TD he served as party Spokesman on Transport & Tourism.
Despite speculation at the time he was not selected as Minister or Junior Minister when the current government consisting of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Green Party was formed.
Throughout his time as TD MacSharry was an outspoken critic of the party leader Michael Martin with the two clashing on a number of issues.
The Sligo TD would subsequently quit the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party in 2021 after criticising how the party was being run ahead of the confidence motion tabled against Fine Gael’s Simon Coveney.
In relation to the future it’s expected that the Sligo Politician will pursue a career in the private sector at the end of the current Dáil term.
He recently completed a ‘Research Masters’ at University of Ulster.
